Trails of Blood and Steel
by ultimatedbzmaniac
Summary: A chance encounter alters destiny, as two children meet long before they were meant to. Such an insignificant change in the grand scheme of things, yet it would rewrite the fates of everyone around them. Ouroboros, Olivert Reise Arnor, Giliath Osborne, not even the likes of them could possibly predict what was coming. Because of these two, Class VII would change the world.
1. The Way To Thors

To start, I know very few people, if any, will ever read this story, but I want to, and have to, write it anyway. I love the Trails Of Cold Steel games and the characters within, Rean, Fie, Crow, Sara and Millium especially, in that order, but that's neither here nor there. And I find myself unable to bury or otherwise get rid of the urge and need to write a story with the characters I love so much, in the world I love so much, with the lore I am growing to adore. So...this was born. As you may have guessed, it is indeed an AU. That being the case, a great many things are subject to change. With that said, the general plot outline will remain, but I will be adding my own spin on things though, with additional events, new twists and turns, and a grittier, somewhat more realistic approach to things, including the action and dialogue, from certain characters at least.

Now before you jump to conclusions, allow me to clarify. All I mean by this, besides the aforementioned battles and dialogue, is that wounds, injuries and such will play more of a role in this than in the games, and that when, and if, it comes time for the Erebonian Civil War, there will be far more casualties, as that's a major part of war and they failed to portray it as such, or at least I feel that way. That said, this story will cover more than Cold Steel one and two, as it will cover the third entry as well. Since it's a ways off from being released, even more so here in the States, odds are I'll be coming up with the plot of that all on my own. I'm rather excited at the prospect of that to be honest. All I'll say on the matter is that it will involve the main characters from other Legend Of Heroes games.

Just so everyone who ends up taking an interest in this story knows, if anyone ever does, updates will be infrequent. Why? A multitude of reasons. I'm busy with life, I won't bore you with the details, I have other stories to write for, and I rarely have access to the internet longer than a few hours, for a few days, about every two weeks or so. Not to mention the fact that I can only write for fandoms I'm in the mood to write for...I've explained what I mean by that so many times that it's starting to get old, so I'll just sum it up the best I can. When I write, I can only focus on one particular universe, One Piece, Rosario Vampire, DBZ, Trails, and so on and so forth. I get in the zone and think up dozens of ideas for different stories, chapters and events for them, but am unable to really do so for anything else when in such a zone. If I wrote a chapter for one fandom while having my mind on another, not only does it frustrate me to no freaking end trying to write it, it cripples the quality and ends up burning me out, making me not want to write at all for a few days. So...yeah, unless I'm in the state of mind to write something, trying to go at it is a big no, no.

Also, as I said, this is an AU, which starts from the beginning of the first game. Things will, of course, be similar for awhile, not exactly the same mind you as there will definitely be differences, but similar. Not to mention all that I intend to add to the overall story. As it progress though, the differences will become more noticeable and the larger the changes will become. That said, it will be slow in the beginning, so be prepared for that. If you guys, if anyone ends up liking this story enough to keep up with it, stick with me though, you just might find yourselves enjoying the story. Then again, maybe not. It just depends I suppose, as everyone has their own tastes and all that. Either way, I'm rambling now, so I'll just get to the point. I appreciate anyone taking the time to read this at all, so thank you in advance. :) And if you do, drop me a review, let me know what you liked, what you didn't, what you think I could do better, etcetera, etcetera.

Anyway...

I do not own the rights to any characters or ideas from the video game series The Legend Of Heroes, or it's Trails Of Cold Steel entries. They are the sole property of the company that created them, Nihon Falcom, and no attempt will be made to obtain any profit from the use of said property. I also do not own this awesome fanart that I'm using for the story cover, I found it using google search.

Without further ado, let part 1 of the prologue begin. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _The night was as cold as it was dark, and all was silent. Even the sound of the whipping winds of the blizzard could no longer be heard, the only evidence of it ever having existed in the first place being the the snow that covered every inch of the area. Not all of it was white however, as splashes of blood tainted parts of it, coloring it crimson._

 _Suddenly, the sound of panting penetrated the barrier of silence, said sound coming from a young silver haired girl, no older than seven, who even though was bleeding profusely for someone so small, stood, or tried to stand, as she struggled to stay on her feet in front of two other children. They were a black haired boy and a dark purple haired girl, the former older than her and the latter seemingly of the same age as her._

 _They watched, mouths agape, as she fought to keep her footing, gasping for air as she once more put her arms out protectively in front of them. "I...I w-won't le-let you h-hu-hurt t-th-them..."_

 _Across from them stood a man, a tall, imposing man, bearing light skin, purple eyes and black hair, who carried a large machete, which had traces of the silver haired girl's blood smeared across it. And all he did at the young girl's words was cackle. "Hahahahahahahahaha! Like you could actually stop me girl!" He clearly found her statement quite amusing. "You tried and failed already, what makes you think you could do it now, not two minutes later?" It was unclear whether his question was rhetorical or not, it mattered little though, as the seven year old made no effort to answer it._

 _A smug smirk crossed his face as he spoke once more, "Why don't you just stand aside kid, I'll let you go if you do. Consider it a reward for showing me how tough you are. I mean, it's not like I want to kill you, but if you keep getting in my way, I'll have no choice, ya know?" He paused for a moment, as if expecting an answer, before continuing. "We're both jaegers, aren't we? You should know how this goes. I've got a contract to complete, and I don't care who I have to go through to get it done. Even if it means killing Zephyr's little urchin tag-along and pissing them off in the process." His smirk had fallen away at that, his gaze intense, his eyes managing to portray his power. Needless to say, for three children especially, it was intimidating._

 _Nevertheless, the girl did not falter. "N-no...they...they're m-my f-fa-fam-family, I wo-won't le-let y-yo-you t-tou-touch th-them!" She asserted with what little strength she had left._

 _"Family? You've got to be kidding me." The man remarked with a roll of his eyes. "You've only been here since Zephyr started duking it out with my corp, so, like six months at most? I swear, such melodramatics could only come from idiotic children like you." He was scowling as he derided her. "You've taken up more than enough of my time stupid girl, move it or you die with them." With that ultimatum put forth, he moved toward the three, beginning to raise his machete as he did._

 _Even still, the girl made no move to get out of the way. She had every intention of protecting the two other kids with her life. Seeing this, the oldest of the three finally found his voice and shouted, "Run away Fie!" His call managed to snap the other girl out of it as well, as she repeated his sentiment. "Run Fie!" Neither wished any harm to befall their fellow child, they'd rather she flee and save herself than die trying to protect them.  
_

 _Ignoring them, she forced herself forward and jumped at the man as he drew too close, intercepting a cleave of his weapon, only to receive a large slash across her tiny body for her efforts, the red of her blood mixing with the white of the snow as it splattered onto the ground. With a cry of agony, she hit the ground along with the ruby liquid that had been drawn from her body, clutching at her new wound and writhing around as she did, the pain so intense it wracked her entire body. Little girls weren't meant to withstand such grievous injuries, it was a miracle she was even still alive. But she was, her ear piercing screams of agony were proof of that._

 _With a flick of his wrist, the man shook most of the blood from the steel of his weapon, the red substance landing on more of the snow and dyeing it in the process. "Stupid brat, you've no idea what being a jaeger really means. Your lack of combat training and your attachment to these two shows that through and through." He disparaged the seven year old, before turning his attention away from her, once more laying eyes on his two targets as he did. One of whom was screaming their head off, the girl, crying out the other girl's name with horror and concern while tears flowed down her face like a waterfall, and the other..._

 _The nine year old boy simply fell to his knees, the snow crunching beneath him as his knees smacked the ground. His eyes were as wide as they could possibly be, his pupils were dilated, his vision consumed with nothing but his dying friend and the bloody snow that she lie on. His senses faded as he honed in on her, his hearing fading along with his surroundings, not to mention his sense of feeling, not able to even feel any part of his own body, the whole thing seemingly having gone completely numb. He was in a state of complete shock, unable to properly process anything..._

 _"Let go of me!" The purple hair girl yelled, as the man yanked her toward him by her long strands. "Come to think of it..." He began. "The contract didn't pertain to you girl, meaning I can do what I see fit. And I'd bet you fetch a nice ransom, what with you being the daughter of a baron and all." He noted to himself. "So why don't you sit tight while I kill your brother, and I promise I won't hurt you." He assured her.  
_

 _"NO!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs, grabbing him by his wrist, the one of the hand that held her by her hair, so as to try and keep him from moving toward her sibling. She was scared out of her mind, but she feared for her brother even more than herself. Unfortunately, all she got for her attempt to stop the man was a back hand to the face, knocking her to the ground._

 _"Elise!" The boy called her name with great concern, his tunnel-like vision shifting to her as she was knocked down._

 _"St-stop!" Fie shouted desperately, barely able to get the words out with the state she was in. Yet still, she struggled on, going so far as to reach out and grab the assailant by one of his ankles, almost causing him to trip as he tried to take a step forward._

 _"Damn brat!" He spat with anger, his attention on the silver haired kid once more. "You're just an annoying little bug aren't you? Fine, I'll just finish you off." He stated, raising his weapon to deliver a swift end to the girl. "I gave you a chance, but you didn't take it. You've only got yourself to blame!" He proclaimed darkly._

 _"Fie, Elise..." The dark haired boy muttered their names under his breath, watching in complete disbelief, his eyes having fallen to the younger girl, as his best friend and his sister were manhandled by the man before him, one of whom he was about to kill. The whole thing seemed to transpire in slow motion, the child able to perceive every little detail of every single movement that was made, the horrendous implications of what was about to happen somehow eluding his comprehension. While the scene before him moved at a snails pace, the sounds of it, their voices, the screams and grunts and the crunching of the snow, it was all muffled, as if the nine year old was hearing it from underwater. And yet, a moment later, it blasted in his eardrums with enough force to rupture them, the dark reality of the situation finally sinking in as everything sped back up. "FIE! ELISE!" He cried their names with despair, the tears he had been holding back all this time breaking free and beginning to flood down his face, as one of the two girls he cared about most in his life was going to be taken away, and the other one killed, to not just be taken away, but taken away forever._

 _And with that realization, something inside the young boy snapped. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Something akin to a cry of pain ripped itself from his throat, and yet that wasn't what it was, or rather it was a mixture of that along with one of rage and distress. Despite his incredibly loud shriek, which continued for who knows how long, the only thing the boy could hear was the constant thump, thump, thump of his heartbeat, which sped up drastically, it's pace erratic and without rhythm, said sound reverberating through his ear canals._

 _Power began to leak from his small body in copious amounts, gaining the attention of the other three, as while he forced himself to his feet, a demonic red aura formed around him, dark as sin black splashes, shaped almost like lightning bolts, mixed in with the almost flame like crimson energy. That wasn't the only thing that occurred either, as the small boy's hair began to change, his dark locks bleeding into a white, almost silver color, and his eyes, which were originally a dark fuschia with a grey tint, were now the same red as the blood that stained the snow. All the while, his scream continued ringing out, the boy now holding his head in his hands as he felt like his mind would shatter, from the incredible surge of power and the frightful prospect of losing two of those closest to him. And as it threatened to do just that, even his voice seemed to change, dropping an octave or so, while taking on some strange characteristics._

 _Completely taken back by what they were seeing, neither Fie, Elise or the man could so much as blink, frozen by the mere feel of the power before them. It was abundant and was nothing like any of them had ever felt before, containing qualities of pure, unadulterated rage, supreme bloodlust and potent malice. And these only grew, as the child's cry came to an end, and he lifted his head to look at the three._

 _Fie and Elise couldn't help but gasp at his appearance, the change fully complete. This was...so far beyond having never been seen before, this was out of this realm. They could hardly believe their eyes..._

 _"Rean..." They both whispered his name at once._

 _Without warning, he proceeded to vanish. Only to reappear a second later, the man sent hard to the ground and tumbling through the snow, having been knocked off his feet by a blow from the child, which in turn caused him to drop his weapon._

 _Now standing over Fie and Elise, the two were exposed to the full brunt of his aura, along with the emotions swirling in his dark eyes, rage being the most prominent. It needn't be said that they were overwhelmed by it all, neither able to do anything more than gawk at him and utter his name once more. "Rean..."_

 _"What the fuck!?" The man exclaimed in great pain and just utter shock, as he sat up, after having come to a stop, only having tumbled about ten feet. "How could a kid like him possibly...!?" He didn't even bother to finish his self-query, looking toward the one who had just knocked him down a peg. Taking in his unnatural appearance and energy once more, he questioned with vexation, "Just what kind of freak are you kid!?"_

 _Rean's eyes remained wide open, seemingly frozen in the state of perma-shock he was in before, that didn't mean that one couldn't discern the hate and rage located within his red orbs though. Which was why, when his eyes went straight to the jaeger's machete, which he had dropped, and had buried itself blade first in the snow, the man knew exactly what the boy was planning to do. He was all too right, as the child reached out and took hold of the weapon by the handle and pulled it from the snow, flipping it right-side up, he wielded it with his right hand, and began to slowly approach the downed mercenary._

 _As the demonic-like nine year old came closer, the thirty something man couldn't help it as a bone-chilling shiver ran down his spine. This single child possessed more killing intent than most grown men did, and that was just absolutely insane. Beating down his ever mounting fear, refusing to admit to himself that he did indeed fear the child as he did, the jaeger began to hurriedly get to his feet._

 _In doing this, he made a huge mistake, as he took his eyes off the child, having done so as he got to his knees. Once on his knees, he raised his head to put the being one would hesitate to call human in his line of sight again, only to come face to face with the possibly psychotic, judging by the look in his eyes, nine year old. He had failed to keep track of his movements, and now he would pay for it. Tightening his grip on the machete, Rean used it without hesitation, bringing it up and burying the blade deep into the jaeger's left shoulder, nearly severing his arm from his torso in the process._

 _"AAAAAAGGGHHHHH!" The man screamed at the top of his lungs in great pain, blood splattering onto the white snow once more, while he clutched at his severely injured shoulder and fell back, after the white haired child removed the blade from his flesh, causing more blood to hit the ground in the process. Holding his hand against the wound, he tried to keep it from bleeding as best he could as he writhed in intense pain. "SUNUVA BITCH!" He exclaimed as loudly as he possibly could, cursing simply out of frustration and, of course, pain._

 _Rean was far, far from done however, moving to the man's side, he raised the blade once more, every intention of killing him. Bringing the blade down again, he cut into the flesh of his torso, spilling even more of his life liquid and causing him to cry out in agony. So deep did he slice, that he came dangerously close to causing a meeting between the steel of the machete and the bone of the man's spine._

 _Now clutching at his deep abdomen wound, he tried to keep himself from bleeding out, as there was just so much coming out. Even as he did, he had the sense of mind to evade the next down-swing of his own weapon, rolling quickly to the side, avoiding a potentially fatal slash. Not that it did him much good, as the blade still met flesh, tearing a deep gash into his previously uninjured arm and causing him to shout again. Still, this would at least give him a chance, and he took that chance, forcing himself to his knees once again, preparing to jerk himself to his feet, only...his predator was there waiting for him, just as before._

 _Eyes wide with shock and fear, the man almost failed to utilize his mental faculties as the kid made to rend his head from his shoulders. His survival instinct won out though, forcing his mental faculties into gear, causing him to throw himself backward in the snow, landing none too gently as he did. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get off scot-free, as the child took one step forward and brought the machete down upon his legs, carving into his flesh and clanking the steel against bone, ripping another cry of incredible pain from the grown man's throat. It need not be said, but unless he got medical treatment, not only would he be unable to use his legs now or ever again, he would bleed out fairly quickly if not careful._

 _It was at this point though, that his terror took over and drove his actions, rolling several feet away and onto his stomach, he began to crawl, dragging his body across the ground, in an effort to escape the demon in human form. "Monster! Demon! Get away from me!" He exclaimed with fright. It was entirely in vain, as Rean closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and raised the machete high in the air. Looking behind him, his eyes met the snapped kid's, and he couldn't help but shriek in horror as the blade was brought down on him yet again and cut into the flesh of his back._ _He screamed bloody murder because of this._

 _From there the nine year old would increase the pace of his attack, bringing the weapon down with more speed and force with every swing, his rage and hate flowing out of him, his inexperience showing through as his target remained alive in spite of how many times he would go on to cut into him, always managing to miss the guy's vital spots. It got to the point where the jaeger became so desperate because of the agony he was in, that he began begging for the child to stop, pleading with him for his life, only his pleas fell on deaf ears. In fact, it only seemed to enrage Rean further, as he shouted in anger and began to bring the machete down even faster and with even more force, his tears from before having yet to have stopped falling._

 _Screaming and grunting and panting with effort, the child brought the machete down over and over again, furiously hacking away at the man, wanting nothing more than to end his life. He was erratic, he lacked skill and poise, but that didn't stop him, as he hacked and hacked away, until, finally, the man stopped screaming and begging, stopped breathing, and he was finally dead. The moment he made the decision to take Fie's life and kidnap Elise, he had sealed his fate. He never even had a chance._

 _The snow ran red with the jaeger's blood, and so too did it coat the machete, Rean holding it down at his side as he breathed in and out raggedly, over and over again, every single exhale visible because of the low temperature. Drip, drip, drip came the blood, falling off the steel of the blade in thick droplets, once stained with the blood of a young girl, now covered in it's very own wielder's. He had died at the hands of a child, who used his very own weapon to slay him._

 _Rean wasn't sure how long he stood there, before his eyes left the butchered corpse of the mercenary, which was a dreadful sight to behold, and lifted to see Fie and his sister, who both gaped at him in a mix of emotions. By the looks on their faces it was clear just how deeply disturbed they were by what they had just witnessed._ _However, despite the fact that they had watched him tear that grown man apart from start to finish, and his demonic energy, and his appearance, nearly his entire body covered in his victim's blood, not one of those emotions was fear. They may have been disturbed, but, even after seeing what he had just done, they weren't afraid of him._

 _And that was the last thing his mind registered, besides the sound of voices calling all three of their names in the distance in worry and the sound of snow being crunched under frantic footsteps, before he lost consciousness._

* * *

 **Septian Calendar 1204**  
 **3/31 - Wednesday**

Rean woke with a start, jerking awake and nearly falling out of his seat as he did, but managed to prevent that as he caught himself by the armrest of the booth he sat in. No one noticed in the slightest as he did this, mostly in thanks to how silent he was as he did it. Taking a few deep breathes, he began to calm his rapidly beating heart, his eyes locked on his feet as he tried to reign his mind in, the thing running a thousand miles a minute as he subconsciously tried to decipher where he was, having been somewhere else entirely not two seconds prior. It was wasted effort however, as the answer was given to him almost immediately after he awoke.

"The Ministry of Railways wishes to thank all passengers for their patronage. This train is bound for Bareahard via Celdic. The next stop is...Trista. Trista. We will be stopped at Trista for one minute. When disembarking, please ensure no belongings are left behind." Came a female voice over the intercom.

Instantly aware of his surroundings, the message having snapped everything in place before he did so himself, the tension faded from the seventeen year old's body. He was on a train, on his way to Trista for his first day of school, not...back there. Muscles untensed, he leaned back in his seat and breathed a sigh of relief to himself, closing his eyes once more as he did. "It was just a nightmare." He remarked quietly to himself.

"No, not a nightmare." He corrected himself, reopening his eyes as he did. "Just an awful memory." He acknowledged, turning his head and glancing out the window to watch the scenery whizz by as he did.

'Seems I'm almost there.' He thought to himself after a few seconds of watching everything go by. 'Man, spring really seems to be in full bloom here. I hardly even realized it was this time of year back home because of all the snow. ' This thought was brought on by the trees and other plant life he caught sight of as he drew closer to his destination.

After a dozen or so moments, his eyes wandered from the view to the other students present in the train car with him. Because of this, once more his attention was brought to the difference between his uniform and theirs. The girls, of course, wore skirts, but his was different in another regard, even when it came to fellow male students. They wore the standard buttoned blazers along with white undershirt and red tie and slacks, but their jackets were green and white and their slacks tan. While he wore the same uniform, his jacket was colored red and white, his pants black and his tie blue. He couldn't help but wonder why that was.

'Maybe it's indicative of my class? That's the only explanation I can think of at least...' He wasn't exactly confident about that theory, but it really was the only one he could come up with. 'If that is the case, then I've yet to run into any of my classmates.' It was an assumption based on a theory he had no real proof for, however, it still made good sense. 'I'm pretty curious honestly. I mean, I'm gonna be spending two years with them after all. It certainly wouldn't hurt to get to know them...' Before his train of thought could go along such a track any further, the actual train he was riding in began to come to a stop, as it pulled into the station.

"Looks like I'm here." He stated to himself, standing once the vehicle had come to a complete stop. Taking hold of his unusually long, dark purple bag by it's relatively lengthy strap, he moved to deboard the train.

* * *

After exiting Trista Station, bag slung over his shoulder, Rean came to halt not even five feet from the entrance as his gaze wandered and he took it all in. "Wow..." The town was somewhat small, but was beautiful and even almost welcoming just by it's appearance. The happy faces that moved about only added to such a thing, especially as they would stop to greet one and other, even talk for a bit before moving on.

"Are those lino flowers?" The teen queried to himself, looking at a few of the several trees located within the square. "I've never seen so many blossoming at once." He commented, taking in the sight of so many blooming flowers upon said trees.

Eyes continuing to move about, he took a few more steps forward, taking notice of the signs on the buildings. There was Brandon's General Goods, Kirsche's Cafe and Inn, Keynes's Bookstore, a Le Sage Boutique, and a flower shop. There were more of course, however, just as his grey tinted dark fuschia orbs reached the flower shop, he stepped foot in the park in the center of town, taking notice of something peculiar as he did, which detracted his attention from everything else. There, on one of the benches, was a girl. Not just a girl, but a girl wearing the same uniform as him, with the exception of the grey plaid skirt, non-standard blue necktie, and the big blue bow on the back of her blazer, and on top of that, she was asleep. She was just lying there, on her back, dead to the world. Now while that wasn't exactly normal, what it was about her that really got Rean's attention was her short, silver hair. Eyes widening, he thought, 'No way...'

Moving closer to get a better look, stopping about three or so feet from her, he was able to get a good look at her face. Gentle features, light skin, somewhat pale even, and the face of an angel, there was no doubt she was beautiful, or that she was younger than him, but it was the familiarity of her face that really struck the seventeen year old. His suspicion of who this girl was was greatly strengthened. 'It couldn't be...is...is this really her...?'

In a state of shock, he was unable to do anything but gawk at the sleeping girl, at a loss as to whether she could really be the same one from eight long years ago, there was just no way, and that if she was, at a loss as to what to do about it. Somehow, simply going up and shaking her awake and saying, 'Hey aren't you that girl from eight years ago?' didn't seem like the most appropriate approach. Yet, it was hard to think of much else, as his brain all but shutdown, overwhelmed at the possibility that he had found the girl that in a simple six months, had become his best friend and a part of his life that never faded even after she disappeared. He had searched for her while training under Master Ka-Fai after all, or at least he searched for her everywhere said master took him anyway.

It wasn't like she had actually up and disappeared, rather it was that after she had left, he was never able to find hide nor hair of her, not so much as even a trace. In that sense she did disappear, as for how she left...well, it was shortly after the incident with that jaeger, very shortly. The day after in fact. He only got to see her once after the whole debacle before she left with those two guys from her corps. She had been distressed about something, most likely relating to the incident in question, but the boy was never able to find out what the cause was because she refused to tell him. He had, for the briefest moment, feared that it was because of what she had seen, that she was afraid of him for what he did to that man. He wouldn't have blamed her if she had, he was certainly terrified of himself afterward. Her last words to him before she vanished from his life put those fears to rest though. _"I'm not afraid of you."_ She had said those words with more conviction and certainty than any child her age should ever of had the right to have.

Lost in his own head with his thoughts, uncertainty hanging heavily over him, Rean failed to notice as someone exited the establishment known as Kirsche's, waving goodbye to the owner as the door closed behind him, before turning toward the park. This someone quickly took note of the dark haired teen standing over the sleeping girl, and spoke up, "Dude, girls don't like that sort of thing ya know."

Rean nearly jumped at the sound of the voice, hurriedly turning to face the owner. As he did, he saw said voice belonged to a teen who was slightly taller than him, clearly a year or two older than him, had light skin, bottom neck length white hair and red eyes. He wore the standard uniform with the exception of a blue tie instead of red, cargo pants instead of slacks, and his green blazer was worn open rather than closed. His own personal touches to the outfit consisted of a white bandanna he wore around his forehead, darkly colored shin length boots and two belts worn half on his waist and then pulled upward. One was dark brown and thicker than the other, while also possessing a holster, the other being thinner and of a lighter brown. He was leaning against the railing around the park, looking down at the younger teen from his slightly elevated position.

"W-What?" Was the dark haired seventeen year old's eloquent response.

"Watching them sleep. They don't like it." The older boy clarified. "Downright hate it in fact. They find it creepy, really creepy." He elucidated, his voice lacking any accusation despite his words.

"Wh-what!? N-No!" Rean protested, now knowing what his fellow teen was talking about. "I-I wasn't-I mean-I know it looks like that's what I was doing, but I-"

As the younger of the two spluttered on, trying to explain himself, the older one simply smirked amusedly at him. "Hey, you don't have to explain yourself to me. To each his own and all that jazz. If watching girls sleep is your thing, far be it from me to stop you." He told him, his smirk widening as he did. "It's not like you're hurting her or anything." He added.

"No, you don't understand! That's not what I was doing!" The red jacket wearing teen insisted, keeping his voice from getting too loud as he did. The last thing he needed was to be caught up in such a big misunderstanding with everyone in the entire town, on his first day here no less.

Before either of the two could speak any further than that though, their attention was pulled to the girl in question, as with a yawn, she sat up. "What are you doing?" She questioned the two, wiping the sleep out of her still half closed eyes as she did, clearly having known of their presence the moment she had begun to move.

"He was staring at you real hard, so I came over to see what the big deal was. I mean, you're cute yeah, but he was just about gaping at you, like you were the first pretty girl the guy had ever seen or something." The white haired teen informed her bluntly. "He didn't elaborate why though." He further informed.

Looking toward his fellow male, it was clear Rean couldn't believe he had just said that. Whipping his head back toward the girl, he frantically attempted to explain himself. "I-it's not like that! You just look really familiar is all! I was just getting a closer look to see if you were who I thought you were! I swear that that's all! I would never-" The raven haired youth's words died in his throat, as the silver haired girl finally opened her eyes fully, revealing her strikingly yellow-green orbs.

Those eyes sealed the deal. Without a doubt, this girl was Fie, the same girl from eight years ago. Eyes now as wide as they possibly could be, Rean tripped over his words to an even greater degree. "Y-Yo-You-You're..." At the teen's stammering, she looked toward him, her eyes meeting his dead on. As they did, her eyes widened considerably as well, to match his, recognition flashing in her colored orbs.

Just as soon as it appeared however, it vanished, her eyes returning to normal size, and a calm, almost bored look came upon to her face.

"Fie-" The moment that name left Rean's mouth, the silver haired girl was off the bench and on her feet. "I need to get going." She stated abruptly, her departure just as abrupt, exiting the park and taking the path that led north, away from the square and deeper into Trista, moving at a brisk pace. She didn't run, but she certainly didn't walk either.

"Wait! I-" The raven haired seventeen year old's attempt to call out to her was in vain, as she was already gone. Sighing heavily, Rean consoled himself with the thought that he would see her again. 'She wore the red uniform just like me, so she's more than likely my classmate. So I should get another chance to talk to her soon enough. Even still...that was her, I know it.' With that in mind, he couldn't help but give a small smile. His first day and he had already accomplished one of his major life goals, to reconnect with the girl who had become a part of his family, even if it had only been for a short while. 'Well, maybe accomplish isn't the right word...' He admitted to himself, as he hadn't quite reconnected with her just yet. She did just kind of fast-walk away from him after taking one look at his face after all.

Then there was the fact that he had no other life goals besides finding her, as he had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do with his life, not even in the slightest. Which was one of the main reasons he had made the decision to attend this academy located in Trista, that he had yet to even step foot on campus of, in the first place. So, for obvious reasons, his smile fell away, and he fought the urge to hang his head.

"Hahaha, I do believe you've just been rejected my friend." Came the mirthful voice of the older teen, his junior turning back to look at him just in time to see him hop the railing, doing so for no obvious reason since the park was only a few steps down.

"Yeah, I guess that's a fair way to put it." Rean granted with another heavy sigh.

"Don't sweat it guy, happens to everyone." The taller of the two consoled, coming to a stop a few feet from the slightly shorter of the two.

"Trying to cheer me up?" Rean inquired. "That's nice of you and all, but it kind of flies in the face of the fact that you were trying to get me slapped just a minute ago, doesn't it?" His annoyance, while small, was very clear as he asked this.

"Hey, that's not what I was trying to do at all. I was playing your wingman, helping you get a shot with the girl and all that." The older teen explained with a wink and a wry smile, the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice making it clear that he was joking.

The dry look he received in return for his response made it clear that the young teen didn't find him amusing. "Okay, okay. She was going to figure out that you were watching her while she had been asleep whether I said anything or not, either by the fact that you were standing so close to her or that you were tripping over your words and stuttering like some kind of nervous wreck. So I simply mitigated the situation by playing up the fact that you found her attractive, and don't say you don't because I can tell you do, and made the suggestion that was why you were staring at her. After all, nothing cools a girl off like being told she's pretty." He clarified his actions. "It didn't guarantee you wouldn't have an angry girl on your hands of course, but hey, it lessened the chance at least, and that's better than nothing right?"

"But that wasn't even what was going on. As I was trying to explain to you before, I thought I recognized her and was just getting a better look to see if she was who I thought she was. That's all." The dark haired youth asserted calmly, if a bit piteously.

"Alright, alright, I believe you. That doesn't mean she was going to though. It was for the best that I covered for you, trust me." The the white haired youth assured him.

"But you don't even know me, why would you cover for me at all? For all you know, I really could be some kind of creep." Was the red jacket wearing teen's questioning response.

"Yeah, I'd believe that about as much as I'd believe the sky was green. I'm pretty good at reading people, and nothing about you says anything about you being a creep." The green jacket wearing teen expounded.

"Is that so?"

"Totally. The way you speak, along with the way you carry yourself and your weapon, paints you more as the earnest, straightforward type. " The bandanna wearing boy explicated, indicating the bag the other boy carried with one hand over his shoulder with a tilt of his head as he did.

"You seem pretty sure for someone who doesn't even know my name..." Began the younger teen, a little sullen as he spoke. "...but regardless, thanks." He managed another small smile at that. "I appreciate the gesture if nothing else."

"Don't even mention it." He dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Name's Crow by the way, Crow Armbrust." He extended his hand to his fellow student as he gave his name.

Taking it with his own free one, Rean shook Crow's hand. "Rean Schwarzer. Nice to meet you Crow." His smile widened as he introduced himself.

"Feeling's mutual." Crow returned the sentiment with a smile of his own, this one of the non-wry nature. "Oh and, by the way, that girl, just curious, who did you think she was anyway?"

"Oh, uh...well...she just looked like an old friend of mine is al-" A little more than halfway through his purposely vague sentence, for some reason or another, he found himself wanting to tell his fellow teen the truth. Not everything, of course, as it wasn't his place to tell him all of it, but still. And as he made direct eye contact once more, he thought better of it, while not exactly lying to him, he wasn't exactly being honest. So, he opted to be as honest as possible. "Actually, she was the spitting image of this girl I know from some years back. She came to my hometown and ended up staying with my me and my family for awhile. It was a long time ago, we were just kids, even still...she was my best friend. She was all but a part of the family by the time she left. I hadn't seen her since then until...well now." He disclosed.

"So she was who you thought she was then? Huh, what are the odds?" The older teen's open query was accompanied by a shrug of his shoulders, not reacting in the slightest to the fact that his fellow youth changed course mid-sentence and told him something else than he had originally intended as he did.

"Yeah, and the first time we see each other again after so long, and I end up looking like a creep." Dejected, the younger teen hung his head as he finished saying this.

"Yeah, that's gotta suck." The white haired youth admitted with a nod of his head.

"You didn't help matters." The raven haired youth pointed out, raising his head as he did to gaze pointedly at his fellow teen with halfhearted vexation.

Crow simply laughed at this.

* * *

"He sure was an interesting guy..." Rean muttered to himself as he made his way down the same path he had seen Fie take, which he knew for a fact led to his new school, mostly because of the guidebook he had received upon being accepted into the school which stated as such. 'I mean, I barely know the guy and yet, when I was talking to him, I just felt comfortable. Like I was talking to an old friend and could just be myself. I wouldn't have told him about Fie otherwise, even if I did leave out most of the details...' He thought to himself. 'I probably wouldn't have worn my irritation so openly either.'

This was far from a bad thing in the teen's mind, it was just different is all. He was used to keeping things to himself. He didn't want anyone worrying about him, nor did he feel that it was right to bog other people down with his problems. In short, he was a listener, not a talker. Not in the strictest sense of course, just that he was used to talking about other people's problems and not his own. And that didn't bother him either. He preferred it that way. So when someone gets him to act like he did with Crow...well, it's weird. Strange even. Especially considering that was their first meeting and that Crow himself, arguably, played a role in the problem.

"Well, no reason to stress over it." He told himself with half a sigh. "And it'd be best to put it out of my head for now anyway. I should just focus on not being late on my first day, especially to a prestigious academy like Thors." He reminded himself, picking up the pace as he did. Even still, he couldn't help but think, 'Between seeing Fie again and meeting someone like Crow, I can already tell my two years here are going to be far from normal.'

* * *

Far from normal was right. On his way to the entrance ceremony alone, he had come across an entire cast of colorful characters. First he had ran into a rather tall teen, who was clearly from abroad judging by his darker skin pigment and his stature, who had dark brown haired tied back in a short ponytail and a peculiar shade of blue eyes. He had seemed rather kind, at least going by the short conversation they had where he introduced himself as Gaius Worzel. Then he met another teen with glasses, green eyes, light skin and dark green hair, who went by the name Machias Regnitz. While he was nice enough, he caught his attention because of the fact that he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder when it came to nobles. At least judging by how he reacted to one simply getting out of his limo anyway. A young woman with dark blue hair and a large case came next, having been handed said case by who appeared to be her butler. The noble who got out of the limo was after that, sporting blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes and a regal air.

Two more came after that, both girls, one blonde and the other a brunette, said brunette also wore glasses. There was really only one thing about them that stuck out, they shared this with most of the others, and that was what they were wearing. He spotted them talking with, who he found out shortly afterward, were two second years, one being a somewhat heavyset boy named George Nome and the other a small, petite girl named Towa Herschel, who was apparently the student council president. They were taking their cases, which Rean was sure were their weapons as he and the spectacled teen had to give their luggage as well, which, of course, contained their armaments. Finally, after having just taken his seat in the auditorium, where the entrance ceremony was being held, he met a teen with bright orange hair, light skin and emerald green eyes who gave his name as Elliot Craig, and was quite pleasant and seemed easy to get along with.

All of these people, with the exception of Towa and George, sported the same red blazer as him. Gaius's was more like a vest and Elliot's more like an overshirt, but that wasn't important. So if his theory on them being classmates turned out to be true, he's managed to spot eight of them counting Fie. And all things considered, it seemed more and more likely they were all a part of the same class. Only there was one problem, nine people don't make a class. So either there were more people with red jackets that he had yet to see, or his idea of them being classmates didn't hold any water. Before he could really think such a thing over though, the beginning of the end of the entrance ceremony came about.

"Now, if I may, I'd like to say a few words in closing about this academy's illustrious history." Principal Vandyck, a tall, well dressed and broad shouldered man, with fair skin, long grey hair and matching grey facial hair, pronounced from the stage he stood on and the podium he stood behind. "Thors Military Academy was founded almost two hundred twenty years ago. It's founder, as I'm sure you're all aware, was none other than the great Emperor Dreichels. The very same Emperor who ended the War of the Lions and returned prosperity to the Erebonian Empire. Thirty years after becoming Emperor, in the later years of his life, he opened the doors of this institution. It was to be a place where young people like yourselves could learn the art of war. But with the mechanization of the military, many of our graduates now pursue careers outside the army. Our mission however, remains the same. To prepare our students to fulfill Emperor Dreichels famous mandate...'Arise, O youth, and become the foundation of the world.' Though much has happened these past two and a quarter centuries, the world is still the domain of the young. Yet the question still remains, what qualities must one possess to become a part of its foundation?" That question was allowed to linger for several long moments, most likely so that the full weight of such a query could sink in, before the principal finished his speech. "I hope this credo will serve as a guide and an inspiration to you during your two years at this academy. Go forth, my students. The world awaits the great things you will one day accomplish."

'The foundation of the world huh?' Rean contemplated the notion as Vandyck finished speaking. Only to be brought out of his state of thought a few moments later, as Elliot, who sat next to him on his right, commented, "Haha. No pressure, right?"

"No kidding. Though, this is Dreichels the Lionheart we're talking about. He didn't earn his nickname by taking the easy road." The raven haired teen remarked.

"True, but still, that's quite the set of expectations to place on students such as ourselves. Almost overbearingly lofty in fact. It's the simple fact that this is Thors Military Academy that keeps me from balking at the idea entirely. After all, this is the most prestigious school in the entirety of Erebonia. It's only expected that graduates would go on to do great things." Machias interjected from his seat on the left.

"Guess we've got more to worry about than just passing exams then huh?" Rean replied with a bit of mirth in his voice.

"Ahaha, I guess we do." Elliot agreed. "Indeed." Machias echoed the agreement.

"So, have you guys noticed that there are only nine of us wearing red?" Rean inquired suddenly, after taking another quick look around at all the students gathered in the auditorium.

"Now that you mention it..." The orange haired teen trailed off, his eyes beginning to wander the room to double check, just in case.

"That came out of the blue. What brought this on exactly?" The dark green haired youth queried.

"Just something I've been wondering about since I got here. Most people here are wearing the green uniform, while the rest are dressed in white. Then there's us three, and the six others spread about the room, who are the odd ones out since we're all wearing red." The raven haired seventeen year old pointed out.

"I see what you mean." The bespectacled boy admitted, as he took a look around himself. "Considering the lower number of them, and their snobbish attitudes, it's safe to assume those in white are the nobles." He concluded, returning his eyes to his two acquaintances.

"And those who aren't nobles are in green. So...where does that leave us, the guys in red?" Elliot pondered aloud.

Before either of the two teens he was speaking with could respond, their attention was brought forward to the stage once again. "And that brings us to the close of Thors' two hundred and fifteenth entrance ceremony." The voice of Vice Principal Heinrich announced, a noble looking man with fancy purple clothing and glasses, who possessed fair skin, long brown hair tied in a downward ponytail and a thin matching brown mustache. "Next, please proceed to the class designated in your guidebook. There, you will go over the school rules, as well as your class' curriculum. That is all. Dismissed!" And with that, the ceremony came to an end, as all the students, excluding the nine in red of course, stood and began filing out of the auditorium, the teachers of the academy and the principal and vice principal doing the same.

By the time they had all vacated the building, only said nine red wearing students remained, along with a single teacher, that all of them but one failed to notice.

"The class designated in our guidebook?" Elliot, who was now standing, repeated, his confusion clear. "I don't remember seeing anything like that." He added, turning to face the only two people present he had truly met.

"There wasn't any information on that in mine either." Rean stated with a shake of his head, also now standing. "I just assumed they'd tell us where to go after the ceremony." He confessed.

"I admit it's the same for me. There wasn't any information regarding it in the guidebook, so I too had assumed they'd give us our class assignments after the entrance ceremony." Machias, who too was now standing, disclosed.

As he tried to figure out what they should do next, the raven haired teen's eyes traveled the room, taking note of the fact that the other red uniform wearing students, while standing just like them, didn't seem any more in the know of where to go than they were. At least, as far as he could tell anyway. It was because of this traveling of his eyes, that his grey tinted fuschia orbs found Fie once more, having picked her out of the crowd earlier but had to cease focus on her as the ceremony began. Now there was no ceremony to pay attention to though, so now upon her, they stayed there, as the boy they belonged to stared at her. Why? For a multitude of reasons. First being that he still couldn't believe it was her, second was definitely wondering why she had taken one look at him and all but rushed away, and third, she, unlike everyone else, wasn't looking towards the exit, or the other students, rather her eyes were on something else. Someone else actually, as he quickly found out, following her gaze to the person.

Said person was a very beautiful young woman, clearly older than them though. She had light skin, bright yellow eyes and pink hair, though it was done it up a certain way, so that her locks didn't reach past the bottom of her neck. As for what she wore, a long sleeve, yellow thigh length dress, with three thick black stripes down one side and black and white trimming, dark see-through thigh level stockings with three thin white stripes going down the front, comfortable looking black open shoes and what appeared to black choker around her neck. Finally, she wore a dark blue trench coat over it all, with white trimming designs and three white belt-like straps, buckles included, two of which were loose, while the other was locked in place just under the woman's generous bust.

"All riiiiight! Students in red uniforms, if I can have your attention please?" Said woman spoke, getting everyone's attention as she did, just as she had wanted. "By now, you're probably all confused. 'Where's MY class assignment?', you're probably thinking. That's perfectly understandable. Your situation though is just a liiiittle more complicated than the other students. But before I explain, I'd like all of you to join me for a special orienteering exercise." She expounded.

"What?!" Machias exclaimed.

"Hmm..." The blue haired girl hummed in thought.

"Did you mean an orientation exercise?" The blonde girl asked.

Fie, unlike everyone else, didn't seem the slightest bit concerned about any of what was going on or being said. Her eyes remained on the pink haired woman the whole time.

"Worry not. Everything will be made clear soon enough." The woman assured them. "Now, right this way, if you would." She directed them, heading toward the doors they had originally entered through earlier as she did.

"E-erm, uh..."The brunette girl with glasses opened her mouth but failed to truly speak, clearly not sure what to say about this.

"Looks like we're gonna have to follow her if we want any answers." Gaius stated, speaking for the first time since Rean had run into him back at the church on the way here.

The blonde of the males simply sighed at this.

So, with not much other choice, they began to follow after the woman, Rean and Elliot lagging behind the others momentarily to exchange words.

"What do you think this is all about?" Elliot questioned his fellow teen.

"I have no idea, but we're not going to accomplish anything just standing around here. So the only real choice is to go with her." Rean replied.

"Yeah, I suppose so."

And with that, the two moved to catch up with the others who followed the pink haired woman.

* * *

The nine students were led out of the auditorium, across the campus, and down the path at the very back of the grounds, following behind the pink haired woman as she led them. Until, eventually, they reached an old, run down schoolhouse, the stone having dulled considerably from it's age, even the red of the building that was basically the entirety of the roof, looked rather lifeless from all the time that had obviously passed since the building had first been erected. Not even the bell appeared to be in good shape, as it lacked any shine and looked just as old as the building itself, it entirely possible that it could crack from the slightest amount of force impacting it.

Such a battered and decrepit place was in stark contrast to the rest of the campus, which was grand and in pristine condition. No real sign of age to that of the main building, the auditorium, the gym, or any of the buildings for that matter. This, however, was clearly an exception.

"Wh-what is this place?" Elliot wondered aloud from his spot beside Rean, both at the rear of the group.

"Why is there a building this dilapidated on school grounds? It looks like it should have been torn down ages ago." Rean remarked, before letting his eyes wander the area. It was cut off from the rest of the campus, surrounded by grass and trees, with the exception of the two benches present and two stone markers.

No one paid the two's words on the matter any mind, the woman especially, as she hummed to herself and ascended the steps up to the portico of the schoolhouse, and proceeded to unlock the double doors and enter the building, no word to anyone else as she did so. She also left said doors open, obviously expecting them to do the same as she had.

Rean's eyes wandered to Fie yet again as the woman did this, his thoughts regarding the young girl still all jumbled up. They would remain that way until he could talk with her, that he was sure of. When the opportunity would present itself was anyone's guess. Especially considering the fact that it was entirely possible, judging by her previous reaction to seeing him, that she was purposely avoiding looking his way.

"What does she even want us to do here?" The blonde girl queried no one in particular, bringing the raven haired seventeen year old's attention back to the situation at hand.

"Is she ever going to tell us what's going on?" Machias questioned with an irritated sigh.

"I suppose we'll just have to go inside and see for ourselves what awaits us." Stated the blue haired girl.

With that, they all followed after the pink haired woman once more.

"Th-this place looks like some old haunted mansion or something..." The orange haired teen commented with a sliver of nervousness in his voice.

"Now that you mention it, it kinda does." Rean agreed, doing nothing to absolve that nervousness his acquaintance felt as they too entered the building.

...

Unbeknownst to those two, or any of the others for that matter, there were two individuals not far from them, behind the trees, who watched them from an elevated position on a hillock.

"So...these are our new underclassmen, huh?" The first one, Crow, inquired unnecessarily.

"Yep. They've got a different set of hoops to jump through than we did though." The second one, a tall, beautiful young woman, with light skin, aqua colored eyes and just barely neck length dark magenta hair, who was clad in a black leather biker suit with a beige belt, confirmed. "Honestly though, I'm just glad all our work's paying off. I'd hate to have put in a year's worth of effort for nothing."

"Heh. Ain't that the tru-wait, when did you do any work?" The white haired teen questioned rhetorically. "You were just slacking off the whole time!"

"Ha! Says the master slacker!" She retorted.

"Eh." Was his simple answer, brushing the whole thing off at that point with a simple shrug, neither defending himself or admitting his guilt.

Their exchange completely forgotten, the woman spoke once more, after having taken one last look at the teens below. "Anyway, looks like Alisa's got some stiff competition. Quite a bevy of beauties they've got there." She remarked with a hint of excitement.

"Can't argue with you there." The red eyed eighteen year old agreed. "Wait, you know one of 'em?" He queried, continuing on without the answer to it. "Weird. Just so happens I know one of them too. Or, well, I met one of them a few hours ago anyway." He corrected himself.

Not that his fellow teen had noticed, seemingly lost in her own world. "I am seriously looking forward to getting intimately acquainted with each and every one of those girls." She stated with a light blush and a gleam of lust in her eyes.

"What!? Wait! No, no, no! Not these ones too Angelica! Stop flirting with every damned girl you lay eyes on!" Crow scolded her. "Do you have any idea how many guys at this school have gotten their hearts broken because of your libido!?" His exasperation with her was abundant, that much was clear.

Angelica clearly didn't care though, as she just chuckled at his words and gave a simple smirk.

"D-Did you just sneer at me? You did, didn't you?!" He asked with some incredulousness.

"Come on now you two, no fighting." Came a third, gentle voice, gaining both of the teens attention, the two looking back to where it came from.

Having just arrived, two people stood before them. The first was a rather small, petite thing, with light skin, long brown hair kept from flowing all about by a ponytail holder keeping it from fanning out, though it still ran down her back, and bright green eyes. She wore the standard school uniform, with her own personal modifications, of course, the most notable of which being her black tights she wore under her skirt.

The second was a somewhat heavyset, but sturdy fellow, with light skin, short brown hair and brown eyes. He sported a yellow tracksuit with white stripes down it, a brown buckled belt, brown gloves, brown boots, as well as a brown hat and some goggles.

"Towa, George, you finally made it. Nice work, you two." The leather clad girl complimented.

"You got our little chickadees all sorted out, I take it?" Crow questioned, his building tiff with his female friend not even a thought anymore.

"Yup! They're all bright eyed and ready to go." Towa affirmed cheerfully. "So from here on out we're going to have to give it all we've got to support this fledgling class!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Haha. Now you sound the part of the Student Council president." The dark magenta haired girl remarked.

"Guess she's going all in." Crow said with a smirk.

"Well, they'd be in for a pretty rough time if we didn't help out a little. At least to start, anyway." George commented. "Everything's ready over there, right?" He proceeded to ask the two who were here before him and the smallest of the group.

"You betcha. Just like the instructor asked." Angelica assured. "Can't help but feel sorry for them, though." She admitted, turning back to look at the old schoolhouse as she did.

"Same here. They've got no idea what they're being tossed into." Crow shared the sentiment, as he too turned to look at the downtrodden building. "The class they've been picked for didn't even exist before this year." He added. "Guess all we can do is watch and see what they're made of, right?"

* * *

As the double doors closed behind the students, they let their eyes wander, taking in the rather spacious interior of the old schoolhouse. Rean, unlike the others, turned his gaze towards his fellow students though.

First was, of course, Fie. Second was the long, dark blue haired girl, said hair tied into a very long ponytail with a black hair accessory, who had light skin like the others and amber colored eyes. She sported a light blue plaid skirt with black high-heeled, knee-length boots, with white accents, that looked rather combat oriented, as her personal touches to her uniform. Third was the brunette in glasses with the really long braid down her back, who had light skin as well, and light blue eyes. Her own touches to her uniform consisted of her black leggings, a blue-green plaid skirt, and her peculiar blue necktie, which was rather like an ascot. Fourth was the long blonde haired girl, who had light skin as well, and rouge colored eyes. Her customization of her uniform probably went the farthest, as she completely forwent the white undershirt and replaced it with a pink turtleneck sweater, not to mention her vibrant green plaid skirt, the purple ribbons in her hair or her thigh high brown boots. All of them shared the blazer and big bow on the back though. 'Seems all the girls with red blazers have that big bow.' The teen noted mentally.

Fifth was Gaius, his uniform being the most unique among the boys, the girls too, among all nine of them in fact. His alterations being his dark blue slacks with dull white trimming, brown sandals, a purple sash, a mid-sleeve grey shirt rather than the standard white undershirt, no blazer to speak of, instead wearing a long red vest of similar design, and finally, but least noticeable, was that he wore his blue tie loose. Sixth was Machias. His personal modifications were a black collared undershirt, and a similar, but different style of black pants. Seventh was the blonde noble, who wore his blazer open, with a blue v-neck sweater and a white pinstripe shirt under it, as well as dark blue and black plaid pants, that being the extent of his own flare to his uniform. Eight and last was Elliot, who was the closest in proximity to Rean. The only thing different between his uniform and Rean's own, with the exception of footwear, as everyone wore different footwear, was that instead of a blazer, he wore an overshirt of similar design over a long sleeved white collared shirt.

'This is everyone I've seen with a red uniform so far, and judging by this whole orientation, I'd say we're all there is. I guess that means my hunch about us all being in the same class was correct.' Rean thought to himself. 'But what kind of class has only nine students?' He couldn't help but wonder.

"The name's Sara Valestein." The pink haired woman introduced herself, getting everyone's attention on her once more, to see her standing on a stage of some sort that none of her notice get up on. "I'm the instructor in charge of Class VII, which means you get the pleasure of seeing me all year." She informed them. "Glad to finally meet you." She greeted them with a smile.

"Wait...class seven...?" Machias repeated, sure he had heard wrong.

"No, Class VII." The twenty something corrected.

"That's what I said." The bespectacled boy contended, only to not receive a response.

"U-Us...?" Elliot asked, unsure of what it meant.

"I'm not sure I understand. I wasn't told anything about this at enrollment." The blue haired girl stated.

"E-Excuse me, Instructor Sara? I was under the impression that there were only five classes at this academy." The brunette piped up. "And that students were split among them based on their social class and home region." She added.

"Right you are, Miss Top Scorer on the Thor's entrance exam!" Sara regarded the bespectacled girl with the same merry disposition she had held since they all met her. "Students in each year are divided into five classes, two for the nobles and three for the commoners. And it's been that way for ages, right up through last year. But this year, we decided to shake things up a little." She explained.

Before anyone could ask for more details, she continued. "We now have a sixth class. Fittingly titled, Class VII. And in Class VII, we recognize no distinction between nobles and commoners." She elucidated.

"Wait, you just jumped straight from five to seven?" Rean inquired.

"VII, actually." The woman corrected for the second time.

"You're really putting nobles and commoners in the same class?" The blonde haired girl queried.

"This must be some kind of joke! And, exactly why is this the first time I've heard of it!?" Machias demanded to know, having gone from zero to sixty at the mention of sharing a class with nobles.

"Well, uh...err...who were you again...?" Sara inquired, having completely blanked on his name.

"Machias Regnitz!" Was his immediate answer. "And with all due respect Instructor, it's ludicrous to intermix nobles and commoners like this! Must I be forced to spend my next two years shoulder to shoulder with those arrogant, stuck up hedonists?!" He asked irately.

"Uh...you do know I'm not the one who made the decision, right?" She pointed out with half lidded eyes, some of her merriness fading, as if she found it ridiculous that someone thought that she had been the one to come up with this. "Besides, what's the big deal anyway? You're all kids, can't you all just...get along or something?" She posed that to him, her bit of cheer that had faded from her returning instantly as she did.

"J-Just get along!? Ha! And how would you propose we do that?" The glasses wearing teen questioned her, it already clear that he thought it impossible.

The blonde noble simply hmphed at this, casting a sideways glance at the upset teen as he did.

"What are you looking at?" The green eyed seventeen year old asked hotly as he noticed the glance he received.

"Oh, nothing much. I just find the irony of your behavior rather humorous." The blue eyed noble replied nonchalantly.

"Is that so?" Machias's eyes narrowed ever so slightly behind his glasses. "Oh look, some scion of a noble house has left the comfort of his mansion to grace the unwashed masses with his wisdom! Please milord, do share your esteemed name with us so I can give you all the respect you deserve." The dark green haired boy mocked, using a cheesy, bad acting voice to convey false reverence as he did so. "And so I know who's money you rode in on with that limo of yours." He added rather snarkily at the end, a scowl accompanying his words.

"Jusis Albarea." The blonde responded without hesitation, not the slightest hint that he'd been offended by that. "Not that I'd expect the name of an arrogant, stuck up hedonist to lodge itself in that hard head of yours." He finished cooly.

Needless to say, the shock from hearing his name was evident on almost everyone's face.

"H-He's from one of the Four Great Houses." Elliot vocalized this fact with disbelief.

"The son of Duke Albarea, lord of the Kreuzen province in the southeast." Rean added.

"Well, you don't get much more noble than that." The blonde haired girl commented.

"Interesting. I'd heard the rumors..." The blue haired girl said to herself.

Fie, one of the few unaffected by this bit of news, simply yawned.

"D-Do you expect me to be impressed?! Your family lineage means nothing to me! I will never bend my knee to the likes of you!" Machias exclaimed crossly, taking a step closer to the noble kid as he did.

Thankfully, before a fight could break out between the two, Sara interrupted them with two quick claps, getting all of their attention on her. "Okay, okay, that's enough! Why don't you two just keep away from one and other?" She suggested. "At least for now." She added.

Neither agreed to do so, however, neither refused either. Both looked discontent on the matter though. Not that it mattered, as she continued to speak. "As for the rest of you, go ahead and introduce yourselves. It's only fair, after all. You already know the names of two of your classmates, not to mention mine, so it's your turn to share." She instructed them.

No arguments were made, as the first of them spoke up.

"M-My name is Elliot, Elliot Craig. It's nice to meet you all." He introduced himself with a small bow.

"Thank you Elliot." The young woman acknowledged. "Who's next?"

"I'm Gaius Worzel." The tall foreigner gave his name.

"Emma Millstein. Nice to make your acquaintance." She too gave a small bow.

"Okay, that's five now. Four to go. Who's next?" Sara questioned.

"I'm Alisa Re-Alisa R." The rouge colored eyed girl caught herself, giving an initial instead of her last name.

"Ooh, Alisa R. No last name. Mysterious." It wasn't clear whether the instructor was teasing the girl or patronizing her.

"I am Laura S. Arseid, from the town of Legram. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The long blue haired girl properly introduced herself.

"Wait, that would mean your father is-" Machias began, only to have Laura finish for him. "Yes, my father is Viscount Arseid, Lord of Legram. Do you take issue with that?" She questioned, no hint of anger in her tone, only curiosity.

"N-No, not at all.." The bespectacled teen was clearly taken off guard by this, and was completely unsure of what to say. "I just, uh, I..."

"I can only speak for myself, but I don't feel I've ever done anything to bring shame upon myself in Aidios's eyes. And I fully believe the same to be true of my father." The amber eyed teen stated to him.

"P-Please, I meant no offense. I'm sorry if I...if I, uh..." Machias struggled to find the right words, unsure of how to smooth this over. He hadn't expected this to happened, that's for sure.

"A truly proper introduction. Very good Laura. Onto the next." Sara interjected, sparing the glasses wearing teen from further embarrassment.

Only two left, the raven haired teen decided to go ahead and introduce himself next. "I'm Rean Schwarzer, from Ymir. Glad to meet you guys." As Rean gave his name and the name of his hometown, out the corner of his right eye, he managed to catch Fie peeking at him from out the corner of her own left eye. The moment she realized he saw her, her irises moved back to their forward position, not even bothering to acknowledge that she had been caught or that she had even been looking at him in the first place as she did.

"And then there was one." Sara remarked, looking to Fie as she did.

Only, the silver haired girl failed to take the hint and introduce herself. It was intentional, of course, Sara knew this all too well.

"We're waiting."

"You already know my name." She replied to her elder, her tone one of complete disinterest.

"I do, yes. But none of them do. They're going to be your classmates, you're gonna have to tell them your name. So go on." She prodded.

Finally, Fie gave in with a sigh. "Fie Claussell." However, give her name was all she did.

Rean didn't so much as bat an eye at hearing her name, he already knew who she was. He knew for sure the moment he saw her eyes. The fact that she looked similar to how she did before helped as well, but he had yet to meet anyone with eyes like hers, so that's what had instilled him with confidence that she was most definitely the same girl he knew so long ago.

Sara gave a sigh of her own at Fie's bare minimal cooperation. "I suppose that'll just have to do."

Shaking it off, she continued to speak. "Alright, now that you all know each other, or, well, are acquainted with one and other at least, we can begin."

At that Machias, Alisa and Emma all opened their mouths to say something, perhaps to protest, perhaps not. Regardless, they were cut off before they could even get a single syllable out. "Now, now, I'm sure at least a couple of you have a few grievances, but now's not the time. I'll hear your complaints later. Right now, you've got your orienteering exercise, and far be it from me to keep you from our fun little ice breaker."

"Ugh." Machias exhaled in annoyance.

"You mentioned this...'orienteering exercise' earlier? What does that involve exactly?" Alisa inquired.

"It's a form of outdoor competition, isn't it? Something like a cross between a map-reading exercise and a scavenger hunt?" Emma asked.

"Is that why they asked us to hand over our weapons at the gate?" Rean queried, adding to the questions posed to the instructor.

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" The instructor remarked with a smirk. "Well, I could tell you guys what it's all about, buuuuut-"As she drew that word out, she backed up several paces, to where her back was almost touching the wall. "I don't want to spoil the fun, so let's get started, shall we?" With that, her smirk widening as she did, she reached her right hand out and pressed a relatively well hidden big button, located in the middle of a pillar she was beside.

With little fanfare, the floor, a large part of it at east, the part they were all standing on ironically enough, was basically literally pulled out from beneath their feet, the thing folding downward to reveal a drop. It was a goddamn trap door.

"Oh crap." Rean spat, just before gravity took effect.

A multitude of gasps escaped the teens, most of them falling straight down, only Rean and Fie not doing so. Rean did his best to hang on, though it was an impossible task to do, as there was nothing to grab onto, and he was just going to slide off and drop himself, it was only a matter of a few, short moments. Fie, on the other hand, jumped upward at the last second, reaching for something tucked away on her person, and whipping it out and aiming for the ceiling. Only, she quickly realized, her hand held nothing but air.

Eyes widening in shock, the young silver haired girl caught the eyes of her older friend just before gravity exerted itself and sent her plummeting down. "Un-uh Fie, no cheating." Sara tsked, tsked the fifteen year old, revealing the grappling hook she had swiped from her prior to this.

The natural laws asserted themselves then, and Fie went down with the others, at the same moment Rean was about to run out of room to slide. Only, as he saw her falling as well, rather than try and keep himself from doing the same, he leapt toward her, not even thinking about it as he caught her and they dropped together.

"Huh. I'm starting to think those two know each other somehow." Sara remarked to herself as the trap door lifted itself back up into place as she pressed the button again.


	2. The Birth Of Class VII

Jose19: Good, I'm glad you feel that way, and thank you. Yeah, don't worry, I know that. If you couldn't tell by now, I, obviously, went with Fie, so...yeah.

Heero De Fanel: Cool, I'm happy you like it. That will be revealed soon enough, and yeah, most definitely. I'm already going over when it happens, in my head at least. Why thank you! And I, in turn, look forward to writing more.

Apex85: Oh yeah, most definitely. Glad you've taken an interest. I had thought of that too. Don't worry, there's no need to repeat that whole thing, so I won't be doing so. Thank you, and yeah, every update will be at least nine thousands words or more, so they should have a decent amount of content within. Infrequent and sporadic actually. I could update next week, could be next month, could be literally whenever, I never really know. It all just depends on how things play out, ya know? Once again, thank you, and happy New Year to you as well. :)

Before we get on with it, three things. First, I'd like to thank, those that reviewed, of course, but also those that added this story to their favorites and alerts. So 8Swords, Relyt42, Code-Emperor07, GeassKing101, bri333865, and wargman, thank you!

Second, with this, we're done with the prologue. That loosens the constraints of what I can and can't do, which will allow for more varied and interesting scenes in the future. Remember what I said when I started this, things will be similar and slow at times, especially at the beginning. However, the further along we get, the bigger the changes and differences will be, as well as the fact that there will be even more brand new scenes, obviously. So, if this chapter's not to your taste, stick with it a little longer before deciding to keep reading it or to drop it. Or don't, it's your decision. I can't make you do anything. Either way, I appreciate you taking an interest in it regardless, so thank you. :)

Third, this is embarrassing, it has come to my attention that the image cover I put to this story won't show up. Which means people have been seeing a Trails story with a picture of super saiyan Bardock...wow, fail. I do believe I've fixed that though, so that fanart I mentioned finding in the first chapter, it should be the image cover of the story now. Though no one said anything about it...hmm, maybe it's just not showing up for me? Whatever, either way, I just went ahead and changed my profile picture so that the fanart should be the image cover no matter what. If it still isn't fixed, someone let me know. I'll just have to use a different image as the cover if that's the case, I guess.

And actually, one last thing. Happy New Year everyone.

Anyway, here's part two of the prologue. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

"Ugh...what just happened?" Machias inquired as he sat up, rubbing his head as he did.

"The floor gave out from under us..." Emma replied, as she too sat up.

"I can't believe I fell for such an obvious trap." Laura remarked as she stood up, having recovered faster than anyone else from the fall.

"Does this mean there's a series of catacombs beneath school grounds then?" Gaius wondered aloud after sitting up and taking a look at his surroundings, the lot of them now being located in a hexagonal like room with a double doored exit and a multitude of tables.

"Hmph. What does that woman think she's playing at?" Jusis scoffed as he lifted himself from his knees and onto his feet, being the second one to fully recover from the drop.

"Ow." Alisa groaned in pain. "That really hurt. What was the instructor thinking?" She queried, rubbing her aching backside as she did. She had landed right on her ass, so, needless to say, it was rather tender at this point.

"Phew. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest!" Elliot exclaimed as he raised his upper half up. "Hey, Rean, are you o-" As the orange haired teen turned to look at his fellow teen, he saw something he wasn't expecting. "-kay?"

At the mention of Rean's name, Machias, now off the ground, too turned to check on the seventeen year old. "Yeah, Rean, are you al-" Only, he stopped as well at the sight.

Both of them reacting like that got the other five teenagers to turn toward what they were looking at as well, after the ones who were still down got up, to see Rean lying on his back, Fie atop of him, his face in her chest. Not to mention, his arms were wrapped around her, his hands located at the base of her back, dangerously close to her posterior.

"What are you...?" Came Fie's voice.

"I'm not doing anything, I swear!" The raven haired boy defended himself preemptively, as he realized where his hands were, and where his face was. He removed his hands from the younger girl's person the moment he realized this. Just in case, he kept them up in the air, so that they could be seen. 'After all, the last thing I need is to reinforce the creepy vibe I gave off back in the park.'

It was at that point that Fie sat up, failing to get off the boy as she did, which ended with her sitting atop his abdomen. It was then that their eyes met. The first thing Rean noticed was the light blush staining the yellow-green eyed girl's face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-" He tried to apologize.

"It's fine." Fie replied quickly, getting to her feet even quicker and putting a bit of distance between the two of them.

The grey tinted fuschia eyed teen followed suit, trying to apologize once more once he was standing upright. "I'm sorry, I-" Only to be cut off yet again, as the sound of a whole bunch of ringing filled the air.

"What's that sound?" Elliot immediately questioned, looking about.

"Is this...?" Rean opted not to finish his thought aloud, instead pulling out the object he had tucked away on his person, the rest of them doing the same.

"It's coming from the devices we received with the academy guidebook." Emma stated.

As they all flipped them open, the ringing ceased.

"Seems to be some sort of...portable orbment." Laura commented.

"Right you are! These handy little devices are a special kind of battle orbment." Came the sound of Sara's voice through all the devices.

"Is that...Ms. Valestein?" Gaius questioned.

"So these devices have built in communications functionality then?" Machias inferred.

"W-Wait, don't tell me these thing are...!?" Alisa began, only to be spoken over. "New-model battle orbments made through a partnership between the Epstein Foundation and the Reinford Company. Newly made fifth-generation battle orbments in fact. They're called ARCUS units." Sara expounded.

"Arcus..." Rean repeated to himself

"So these are battle orbments...that means they'll allow us to use arts, right?" Emma presumed.

"Sure will! Just set a quartz into one of it's slots, and you can use arts all the live long day. Which is why I prepared one for each of you." The instructor informed them.

At the same time, the lights in the room came on, revealing the presence of everyone's luggage and small lock boxes on the tables.

"The weapons you brought are all here too, each packaged neatly alongside a little box containing a quartz. Find yours and try setting the quartz into your ARCUS." The twenty something woman directed them.

...

After the nine had done as directed, retrieving their weapons and placing their quartz into their orbment, something peculiar occurred. A white tinted blue light began to emanate from each teen's chest, the same light shining from their ARCUS units as well.

"What in the world?" Rean vocalized his confusion, the light fading right afterward.

"That light means that you've successfully synchronized with your ARCUS. Congratulations. Now you can use arts as much as you want." Sara explained. "Those ARCUS units have plenty more nifty features...but I wouldn't want to bombard you with too much info all at once, so we'll cover those another time. Anyway, since you've got your ARCUS all set up and ready to go, here's what I want you to do." As that was said, the double doors slid open.

"When you step through that door, you'll be in an underground testing area. Basically...it's a dungeon. It's pretty large, and full of twists and turns. I'd almost guarantee you'll get lost at least once. But when you find the exit, you'll be able to return to the first floor of this old schoolhouse. There's monsters wandering around down there though, so don't let your guard down for even a moment! With all that said, let's commence our special orienteering exercise! Your objective is to make your way through this area and back to the surface. Make it back in one piece and I'll be happy to field any complaints you might have. If you make it back safely, I might even give you a kiss, free of charge. On the cheek, of course." Sara explicated, before cutting the line on her end.

Silence consumed the large room then, as the students all turned to look at one and other.

"Ummm..." Elliot was unsure what to say to all that.

"I don't think she was joking." Alisa gave her two cents.

"What is that woman thinking?" Machias huffed in annoyance.

"I doubt anyone here could answer that." Laura opined.

"If that's the only way out, then I guess we'll just have to get going." Rean remarked, removing his weapon from the bag and strapping it's sheathed form to his left hip, his eyes moving to Fie as he did. 'I still have to talk to her, and on top of that, I need to apologize to her properly.'

The moment Fie noticed Rean's gaze on her, she moved to leave. "I'm going." She informed the others, before taking off at a brisk pace.

"Fie, wait!" She didn't listen to the raven haired teen, of course.

Turning toward the others, he spoke, "Look, I need to sort things out with her. You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up." With that, he too took off, running after the silver haired girl.

"She does realize it was an accident, doesn't she?" Alisa queried aloud, as if someone would know the answer or not.

No one did at first, the only sound in the air being that of the two running teens footfalls.

"Who knows?" Machias responded after some moments with a shrug of his shoulders.

"He must have tried to catch her mid-fall, that would explain their position rather easily. Considering that, I'd say he cushioned the impact of the fall quite a bit for her. I doubt she was upset enough not to realize that." Gaius reasoned.

"You're right. I'm not so sure that's the problem." Laura voiced her doubts on the matter.

"Neither am I." Emma agreed.

"Then what do you think it is?" Elliot inquired.

A third one of them moved to go through the slid opened doors then, only to be stopped before they could go through them.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Machias posed to Jusis. "Were you planning on wandering off on your own without saying anything?"

"If you lot want to stand there and speculate about those two, then be my guest. But I have no interest in doing so. Nor do I have any interest in becoming friends with anyone here. So I'm leaving. Though I'm surprised you, of all people, give a damn what I do." He responded, just a little snobbish in tone. "Unless you've suddenly decided that you actually do want to keep company with one of us 'stuck-up hedonists' after all."

The bespectacled teen had to resist the urge to growl at the noble.

"Still, if you're afraid of the monsters, I suppose I could accompany you. After all, what kind of Erebonian noble would I be if I didn't have at least some degree of prowess with a sword? And noblesse oblige dictates that it's my sacred duty to protect powerless commoners such as yourself." The blonde boy mocked.

"What the hell!? Nobody's asking your high excellency to deign to help us!" The dark green haired boy spat angrily. "But if that's how you're going to be, I'll just...find my way out of here before you!" He moved to the open doors as well then. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself without some relic of an outdated class system dragging me down!" Machias vociferated, before doing as he said and leaving the room to go and find his way out.

Jusis merely scoffed at this, before going as he had originally intended.

"That just leaves the five of us then." The blonde girl mentioned as the noble began to fade from their line of sight as he continued to move forward.

"What should we do?" The bespectacled girl questioned.

"The only thing we can do. We should begin exploring these ruins for ourselves." Laura answered. "Though, it would be prudent to split into two groups. That way we'll double our chances of finding one of those four." The others nodded in agreement with that.

* * *

"Fie!" Rean called after her, before turning a corner and coming to a sudden halt. Standing before him was all but a dead end, a pillar just ahead and a walkway above, but no clear way to get up to it. Even worse, there was no sign of the very girl he was looking for. She had managed to lose him. Or had she?

Closing his eyes, Rean focused his senses, in doing so, he felt it. Her...aura, if you will. He could sense her, she was here. "I know you're there Fie, come on out. Please."

Nothing but silence for a number of seconds, until, she actually complied and came out from her hiding place behind the pillar.

"Thank you." He said. "Now if you'll just let me apologize-"

"Why did you follow me?" She questioned him bluntly, cutting him off in the process, her tone completely even as she did.

"Because I wanted to tell you I was sorry about back there. I didn't mean to-"

"Tell me the real reason why you followed me." She clarified her question.

"I-" Rean began to say, but stopped. "I just...wanted to know why you reacted like that, when you saw me in the park. Why you ran from me." He answered honestly.

"I didn't run from you." She corrected, sounding almost bored as she did.

"It was about as close as you could get without actually doing it." He pointed out, as she had left at a rather brisk pace.

She had no response for that.

"I had thought you'd be happy to see me. After all, we're best friends. But the moment you lay eyes on me you jet, like I was some kind of weird stalker." There was no trace of any negative emotions in his tone as he said this. "Though I guess I did kinda bring that on myself, sorry about that." He apologized with a self-deprecating chuckle as he remembered the whole thing with Crow.

"We're friends?" She queried, almost as if this was the first she'd heard of it.

"What? Of course we are. What would make you think otherwise?" He inquired, his brows furrowing at the way she had said that.

Once more, she found herself without a response, her yellow-green orbs shifting away from the boy momentarily.

"Fie?" It was clear he would pursue this line of questioning until he got an answer, or at least, it was to her.

"If...if it wasn't for me, that day wouldn't have happened." She replied vaguely, the first bit of emotion penetrating her emotionless tone, it being that of regret.

"That day?" He repeated, his confusion clear. "What da-" As her eyes shifted back to him, he could see all too well the guilt that lie within, before they once more looked away from him. That's when it hit him. The day she was talking about, the day she had almost died and his powers had emerged, the day that Elise was almost taken away and he slaughtered that man, she blamed herself for it. She thought it was her fault. 'What!?' Was his immediate thought.

"It was because of me that jaeger found his way there. If I hadn't been there...he wouldn't have come after your life or tried to kidnap Elise. If it hadn't been for me..." She couldn't bring herself to look her childhood friend in the eye, ashamed of what had happened because of her. All she could think of was that image of Rean bathed in that man's blood, and what came after. He had cried his eyes out to his mother, something she had never seen him do before then, whimpering to her how scared he was of himself and what he had done. She hadn't let him see her, as she watched him pour his heart out to his mom. It tore her up inside. 'It's all my fault.' Was all she was able to think after it happened, and it took years before those words stopped floating in the back of her mind. Nevertheless though, they were always there, and now that Rean was here, they and all her feelings came roaring back. 'If I hadn't led him back to them, none of it would have ever happened. And I wouldn't have had to leave without saying goodbye.' She thought bitterly to herself.

"Fie, you know that wasn't your fault. You couldn't have possibly known what he would do." Rean tried to assuage her sense of guilt, still hardly believing she could blame herself for what had happened.

"I led him right to you. How could it not be my fault?" She inquired, sadness peeking through her eyes as she did.

"You found him in the middle of a blizzard. You can hardly blame yourself for leading him somewhere safer. If it had been Elise or me, we would have done the same." He assured her.

Yet again the fifteen year failed to respond, simply continuing to avert her eyes.

Rean could only sigh at that. "Fie..." No words came after that, only the sound of footsteps. Even still, she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

That is, until the sound of footsteps came to a halt, and she realized he was standing right in front of her, only a few spare inches of space between them, and he raised his right hand and placed it atop her head. Her irises were bidden to his form then, as he began to rub her head, ruffling her hair as he did. "How silly can you be? Have you really been blaming yourself for that all this time?" He questioned with a bit of disbelief. "I don't blame you, the thought never even crossed my mind. I know it's the same for Elise. No one blames you but you." He told her. "It wasn't your fault. You have nothing to feel guilty about." He reassured her with a smile. "So stop blaming yourself, okay?"

Fie gazed up at the face of the raven haired boy, taken back by the fact that he didn't hold her accountable for what had happened even in the slightest. She had feared for a long time that he would, but now, it was clear she had been agonizing over nothing. Or at least, it was nothing from his perspective. Judging by that smile of his, he was just happy to see her. To see him smile at her like that, after what had happened and all this time that had passed, stirred her emotions something fierce. Closing her eyes, she released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in the first place, as a memory flashed before her.

* * *

 _Snow covered every inch of the ground, just as it did every day here in this town. Nothing ever really seemed to change here, not truly. The white of the snow was always present, as were the people and their cheeriness. It was so different to how she was used to living with Zephyr, always moving around from place to place, never seeing the same face twice, with the exception of other jaegers, of course. Because of that, it was close to two months here before she even interacted with anyone outside the Schwarzer household, only having done so at the behest of Rean and Elise. She didn't regret it, as she found that Ymir was filled with kind people, though none were kinder than the Schwarzers themselves. They were the only people outside of her corp that treated her like she was a part of their family. They had welcomed her with open arms when Rean brought her here, even without knowing a single thing about her. Even still..._

 _It had been almost six whole months, and she had yet to so much as hear word from Zephyr. It worried her greatly. So much so, that she just couldn't stop thinking about, 'What if they don't come back?' It was one thing to take a child in for a few months, until her family returned for her. It was an entirely different matter to basically adopt her. Especially since she was some stranger their son had brought home. As nice as the family of four was, that seemed like it would be too much, even for them. And then she would be all alone again. 'I can't think like that.' She told herself. 'The Boss and the others would never die on me...right?'_

 _"Hey, whatcha doin'?"_

 _Fie was broken from her trance-like state of thought at the sound of that voice, her eyes shifting away from the horizon to the one it belonged to, to see Rean standing there beside her, dressed in baggy, warm clothes, just as she was, courtesy of the boy's parents. The nine year old was smiling at her, awaiting her response._

 _"Thinking." She answered honestly._

 _"What about?" He inquired, taking a seat beside her on the bench as he did._

 _"Zephyr." Was her one word reply, returning her gaze to the view the funicular station offered as she said it._

 _"Your family? You must miss them."_

 _"I do." She admitted. "I miss them a lot."_

 _"Is that why you looked so sad a second ago?" He questioned bluntly._

 _She simply nodded her head at that._

 _"You don't wanna be alone." It wasn't a question._

 _Once more, she nodded._

 _"It scares you." That wasn't a question either._

 _For the third time, she nodded, knowing exactly what he was referring to._

 _"Yeah, me too." He confessed to her after a moment's pause._

 _A silence hung between the two then for several long moments, until..._

 _"Well, you don't have to worry then." The raven haired boy assured her._

 _"huh?" Her confusion at his words was written all over her face, as she turned her head to look right at him once more._

 _"As long as I'm around, you won't ever have to be alone." He averred, lifting his right hand to place atop her head, and proceeding to rub it, ruffling her hair a bit as he did._ _"No matter what happens, you'll always have me, alright?" He promised._ _"So stop being so scared Fie, it'll be okay." He regarded her with the biggest, brightest smile she had ever seen as he said this to her._

 _Fie was at a loss for words, her eyes as wide as they possibly could be, her shock and amazement written all over her features. Unable to think of how to properly reply, she simply nodded her head in understanding, adoration gleaming in her eyes for this boy. Then, she hugged him._

* * *

"Okay." She finally said in response to her fellow teen, her eyes reopening, before pulling herself closer and embracing him.

Surprised by this, Rean had to keep himself from stumbling back, before returning the embrace.

"I've missed you." She confessed to him softly then.

"I forgot how sweet you could be when we were alone." He remarked with a lighthearted chuckle.

"Shut up." She retorted immediately, red dusting her cheeks as she fought back a blush. Regardless, she made no move to end the contact between them.

"I've missed you too, Fie." He shared her sentiment then, which just made her tighten her hold on him.

* * *

Rean sheathed his sword, having just killed a pesky feline monster with wings that had nearly gotten the jump on Elliot. He and Fie had arrived just in time to see it nearly get him from behind, the orange haired teen and Gaius having been too busy with other ones of it's kind to notice it.

"Please tell me there aren't more of those things lurking around here..." Elliot vocalized his anxiety.

"I hate to tell you, but I can sense more further in." Gaius broke the news to him.

"So can I." Rean affirmed. "A fair amount of them too. Sorry Elliot."

The sixteen year old simply groaned in response.

"I'm assuming it went well?" Gaius said then, looking to Rean and Fie as he did.

"Yeah, everything's been cleared up." The raven haired teen confirmed.

"That's good. It would suck if a misunderstanding like that kept you guys from being friendly with each other." Elliot commented.

"It would." He agreed. "Where are the others?" He went on to ask, after taking a quick look around.

"Well, Machias and Jusis got into an argument and both stormed off. As for the rest of us, we split up to double our chances of finding one of the four of you." The staff wielding teen answered.

"Ah, I got ya. Since we're here then, you guys mind if we tag along with you?" The grey-tinted fuschia eyed seventeen year old questioned.

"Sounds good to me." Elliot approved.

"No objections here. I'd be happy to accompany you." Gaius replied.

"Alright then, let's get going." Rean said.

* * *

After a dozen or so minutes, having learned that Gaius was from the Nord Highlands in that time, as well as having shown off and compared all their weapons, the one thing that got Fie talking, and encountering another type of monster and defeating it, they came across one of their fellow classmates.

Machias, orbal shotgun in hand, stood in the midst of a gathering of rather big, odd colored beetles. He would blow one away, killing it instantly, and another would leap at him, the glasses wearing teen managing to dodge each time. However, with every instance, he came closer to being hit. If this kept up, he would be overwhelmed by these monsters, it was only a matter of time.

So, they charged in and provided support, taking out the group of twelve or so monsters without much trouble.

"Phew, thanks for that." The bespectacled boy said, as he lowered his shotgun to his side.

"No problem." Rean told him.

Panting, Elliot dropped to one knee, getting the others attention as he did.

"Are you alright?" Machias asked.

"You okay Elliot?" Rean queried with some concern.

"I don't see any obvious injuries..." Gaius remarked.

"He isn't hurt." Fie stated straight out.

Before they could question that statement, Elliot confirmed what she said. "She's right, I'm fine. I was just so relieved the fight was over that the strength, well, just sort of left my legs." He admitted, sounding a little embarrassed as he did. "You guys though, I'm amazed how calm you four are. You don't seem tired or worried, or...anything!"

"I guess I'm just used to fighting monsters like these." The dark brown haired teen replied.

"I knew what I was in for when I enrolled in a military academy, so I just steeled myself for this sort of thing." The dark green haired boy disclosed.

"I've dealt with monsters a hundred times more dangerous than these." The silver haired girl told them nonchalantly.

The boys, excluding Rean, looked to her then. Gaius was clearly curious about what she had said, while Elliot and Machias simply wore incredulous expressions, both thinking to themselves, 'What the hell is her life like!?'

"You need a hand?" Rean asked the still downed orbal staff wielder, getting his eyes off Fie as he did.

"N-No, I'll be fine. It was just a momentary lapse on my part. I can get up." The sixteen year old assured, beginning to rise to his feet. "Aaaand, there we go." He said, as he managed to stand up straight.

With it clear that Elliot was alright, Machias spoke once more, "I came to realize that I shouldn't have just stormed off like I did. I let that arrogant noble goad me into losing my composure and acting on impulse. So I just wanted to say...I'm sorry. I acted foolishly, and I hope you can forgive me for it."

"Don't worry about it." The raven haired teen told him.

"Yeah, we all have moments when we say or do things we regret. That's human nature for you." Elliot commented.

"After I'd cooled my head, I decided to retrace my steps, and...well...you saw the rest. I got ambushed." Machias explained how he had gotten into such a predicament.

"That's why it's best to travel in groups in unknown territory." Fie mentioned.

"You're right, I made a mistake." He admitted. "Since you're here though, I'm assuming you two worked out that misunderstanding?" He queried.

"You could say that." She vaguely replied.

"And where are the others?" The green eyed seventeen year old questioned, seemingly fine with the non-specific answer he had received to his last question.

"We lagged behind for a bit, so everyone has to be ahead of us. There's no one back the way we came, at least." Gaius answered.

"I see." He acknowledged that fact. "Err...say, I-I don't suppose you'd mind if I came with you, would you?" He inquired, sounding little nervous as he did.

"Sure thing, welcome aboard." Rean welcomed him.

"I don't see why not." Elliot said.

"No, don't mind." The youngest of the group replied.

"As they say, there's safety in numbers." Gaius simply said.

"Also, just one more thing, could...could I ask what social class you each belong to?" At that, it became clear why the spectacles wearing teen had started to seem nervous. That was a bit of an awkward thing to ask, especially considering how he had acted toward the first noble he met. "I know it's a little odd to ask after having met you two earlier in the day-" He motioned to Rean and Elliot as he said this. "-a-and I realize how this must sound considering my recent outburst...but please, don't take it personally. I'm simply curious to know who I'm associating with." He seemed rather genuine, despite the uncomfortableness associated with his words.

"Umm...well, both my parents are commoners." The youngest of the males came right out and said.

"Do I look like a noble?" The yellow-green eyed fifteen year old queried rhetorically. When she didn't receive an answer, she just up and told him, "I'm not a noble."

"Likewise. Though, my homeland has no class system to begin with." Gaius stated.

"Ah, so you're from abroad then?" The shotgun wielding teen asked.

"Yes, the Nord Highlands actually." Was the answer he received.

"What about you Rean?" The glasses wearing boy inquired, looking toward him as he did.

'Oh great.' He thought to himself then. 'This is bound to go over well.'

After giving a sigh, he responded, "Since Fie already knows this, I don't see a reason to keep it a secret from the everyone else." He began. "There isn't a single drop of noble blood in my veins, but, yeah, I'm a noble. Was adopted into it." He elucidated. "My father is Baron Teo Schwarzer, in case you're wondering." He specified.

"I never would have guessed." Elliot admitted, the news not really affecting the way he saw his new friend.

Gaius remained silent on the matter.

It appeared to take a second for Machias to register this new information, but once he did, his eyes visibly narrowed behind his glasses.

"Got a problem with that?" Fie asked him then, able to pick up on the growing hostility quite well.

"No, I don't." He replied curtly.

Rean simply sighed once more.

* * *

Beside the newly formed tension between Rean and Machias, not much of interest occurred as the five continued to explore, with the exception of meeting up with Laura, Emma and Alisa. They had engaged in conversation for a bit, before they split up once more, thinking it best to do so to maximize their chances of finding Jusis.

Machias had expressed concern over leaving those three to wander about alone, as a lady was lady, regardless of her combat ability. But Rean had enlightened him, and the others, to how little they had to worry about, as she was clearly a skilled practitioner of the Arseid school of swordsmanship, a style so great that it was used as a general basis for the techniques used by knights throughout the Empire. And that Laura's father was arguably the strongest swordsman in the country, known as the Radiant Blademaster. With him, almost assuredly, being her teacher, there was little doubt that she could whip just about anyone at this school, student wise at least, in combat. Needless to say, she could handle herself down here.

With such an explanation from the raven haired teen, they moved on.

"What's a place like this even doing on school grounds?" Machias questioned suddenly, probably to interrupt the constant stream of silence as they traversed the stone made dungeon. "It's difficult to navigate, looks worn-down enough that it's feasible that it could cave in on us at any second, and, not to mention, is filled to the brim with monsters. That combination makes for a hell of a safety hazard."

"It's certainly unorthodox, that's for sure." Gaius commented.

"Yeah...who puts a giant trap door in a campus building anyway?" Elliot wondered aloud in a similar vein to the green haired teen.

"Sara." Fie answered immediately and without hesitation.

"Huh?" Was the unanimous response from the four boys.

"Sara." The silver haired girl repeated. "I doubt she was the one to actually put that whole thing into place. However, it's a lot like something she would do." She elaborated.

"She certainly sounds...eccentric." The orange haired one of them remarked, the other three males nodding their heads in agreement with that,

"I got the impression you two knew each other." Rean said then.

"We do." She confirmed with a nod of her head.

"How?" He queried.

"Mmm. Later." She told him, to which he agreed with a nod.

Suddenly, Rean, Fie and Gaius came to a stop, getting the other two to look back at them as they did. "Did you hear that?" Gaius inquired, to which Fie nodded.

"Someone's fighting up ahead, come on!" Rean told them, picking up the pace to get to where the sounds of fighting were coming, Fie and Gaius following right behind.

"W-Wait for me!" Elliot shouted after them, running to catch up, Machias doing the same.

...

The five teens came to a stop as they came upon the scene where the noise was coming from, to see Jusis surrounded by enemies, consisting of several of those beetles, a few of those flying cat things, and one of those blob creatures they had run into before. Only, unlike Machias, who fought well but was going to get overrun regardless, Jusis managed to hold them at bay with his swordsmanship, striking at one, defending himself from another, then inflicting a lethal blow on the next. Doing this, he went on to pick all the monsters off, thwarting their ambush all on his own.

"I-Incredible..." Machias muttered without thinking.

"That was really something." Elliot commented.

"Not bad." Fie acknowledge his skill.

"Judging by that display, I don't think he needs any help from us." Gaius said. "I take it that's another form of imperial swordsmanship?" He went on to ask, looking toward Rean as he did.

"Right. That's court fencing, an agile style favored by the nobility." He answered. "And judging by his poise, he's no amateur." Rean remarked.

"Yes, did you need something?" Jusis regarded them after turning around to face them, lowering his sword to his side as he did.

"Sorry, I was just admiring your swordsmanship." The raven haired of the five said.

"I see." The blonde didn't seem to care about that much either way. His eyes moved to the spectacle wearing member of the group then, as if just noticing his presence. "I have to say, I didn't think you had it in you. I'm impressed."

"What are you talking about?" The dark green haired teen inquired.

"After all that bluster about finding your way to the exit alone, I wasn't expecting you to actually rely on others for help." The blonde noble admitted. "I assume you came to your senses shortly after you stormed off, and then wandered back to apologize like a good boy. Truly, the virtue of the common man! Why, a preening noble such as myself would be far too proud to do such a thing." He mocked.

"Man, what the hell is your problem!?" Machias demanded to know. "You nobles really are all the same. So full of yourselves it's a wonder you don't pop! And you're not just a garden variety noble, either. House Albarea is one of the highest-ranking in the country. I'll bet you just love looking down on us less-fortunate souls, don't you!?" He derided.

"Tsch. You're one to talk. I don't need a lecture in rank from the son of the Imperial governor." He shot back.

"Wait, what?" Rean vocalized his surprise.

"Oh! I thought the name Regnitz sounded familiar..." Elliot said, more to himself than the others.

"Carl Regnitz, the first commoner ever to hold the seat of Imperial governor in Heimdallr. The first to rule the capital. And this headstrong young lad, just so happens to be a chip off that old block. Pretty rarefied air for a simple commoner, don't you think?" The blue eyed noble taunted.

"What does that have to do with anything!? Yes, my father is the Imperial governor, but he earned that position through years of hard, honest work! Don't you go lumping him in with you nepotists who get your titles handed to you just for being born!" Machias insisted with fervor.

"Perish the thought. No, I mainly just regard your father as a reformist...and a close friend of the chancellor, at that. And as you're vividly aware, his faction is in conflict with the Noble Faction, led by none other than the Four Great Houses. When you look at it that way, your vitriolic disdain for the nobility seems rather...cheap, wouldn't you say?" Jusis ridiculed.

"Y-You son of a...!" Machias exclaimed, infuriated by his fellow teens words, so much so that he began marching over to him, intent on shutting him up.

"M-Machias, don't do it!" Elliot yelled.

Before the situation escalated and the two came to blows, Rean stepped in and restrained Machias, holding him back from assaulting the blonde. "I know he's taunting you, but lashing out at him isn't going to solve anything. And Jusis, don't you think that was a little uncalled for? Bringing his father into it was a little low. I figured you were better than that." Rean reprimanded.

"I'm not the one who started this. But, I suppose you're right, perhaps I was a bit out of line." Jusis conceded with a sigh.

"What do you know?!" Machias rebuked, his ire only growing as he struggled against Rean's hold on him. "Of course you would defend him, you're both nobles! So you couldn't possibly understand! You can't comprehend the plights of us commoners! So what if you don't have noble blood!? That doesn't change the fact that you're one of them! You're just another rich kid with a silver spoon in his mouth, looking down on everyone else around you!"

Rean couldn't help but flinch a little at those venom filled words, having come from someone who looked to be a new friend. It didn't feel good, that's for sure. "You're an idiot."

"What was that!?" The bespectacled boy queried with heat, eyes shooting to the one those words came from, the silver haired girl. "You heard me, you're an idiot." She repeated herself. "If that's really what you think, then you're nothing but an idiot. Rean couldn't be further from who you paint him as. And if you can't see that, you need new glasses."

Teeth grit, Machias was unsure how to respond, all his anger and vexation still flowing. However, her words also struck him as honest and genuine, leaving him a little confused. Before anything else though, Rean spoke once more. "Look, I understand you hold some kind of grudge against nobles, and why that is probably isn't any of my business. However, I don't see what I'm doing that's so wrong. I'm just trying to keep you two from mauling each other. More importantly, you were just fine with me when you thought I was a commoner, we were becoming friends. But now that you know I'm a noble, even though I'm the exact same person you've been around for the past few hours, you treat me completely different, as if I had committed some sort of sleight against you. You couldn't possibly not see what's wrong with that!"

"I-I...I..." Completely at a loss for words, Machias ceased struggling and hung his head in shame. "You're right. I'm...I'm sorry. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to...I shouldn't have lashed out like that. I...let my anger get the better of me." He apologized, his voice low enough to where it was barely heard by the others. "Just...just let go of me, please."

Rean complied then, releasing Machias from the full nelson he had held him in.

"I'm really sorry Rean, you...you didn't deserve that. I was...I'm sorry." He repeated, clearly remorseful over what he had said. "I just...I think that...it'd be best if I was alone for awhile." With that, he began walking away, moving past Jusis as he did without so much as glancing at him. "You guys go on ahead without me. I...I'll catch up." He told them somberly.

They watched him, until he was out of their line of sight.

"Perhaps I should have chosen my words more carefully. It would seem I still have much to learn." Jusis acknowledged his fault in that distasteful exchange.

"Uh?"

"You look shocked. Why?" The blonde noble queried, looking to the sixteen year old of the group as he did.

"W-Well, you're the son of Duke Albarea, right? I wasn't expecting the son of a noble, especially one that high up, to admit he was wro-ahh! Wait! No, that came out wrong! I'm sorry." Elliot stumbled over his words so as to not upset the other boy.

"There's no need to address me so formally." Jusis informed him with a sigh. "We may come from different social spheres, but here at this academy, we're supposed to be on equal standing. Or so the idea goes anyway." He added.

"Y-Yeah, that's tru-I mean, yes, I'm with you all the way there!" The orbal staff wielder spat out nervously.

Jusis was noticeably uncomfortable at this, the younger boy walking on eggshells with his speech. And he would undoubtedly continue to do so.

"Just talk to him like you do Rean." Fie suggested to the slightly older boy. "He's a noble too. It don't stop you from talking to him normally."

"Is one's social class really that big a deal here in the Empire?" Gaius inquired with a whisper to his new dark haired friend, so only he could hear him, the other three talking with each other.

"It is. This country has a long history, and the class system has been one of its central institutions for most of it. A man who wouldn't wish to become nobility is rare, it can mean everything to people. Even if others don't see it as anything important." Rean expounded.

Gaius began to silently contemplate on that.

"We should keep going." The raven haired seventeen year old then said, getting the others attention.

* * *

Having been hoofing it awhile, the five failed to notice it at first, but at some point they crossed a threshold and found themselves in a room with two flights of stairs, leading up to, what appeared to be, the way out of the dungeon, if the sunlight coming through the entrance way above said anything on the matter.

"H-Hey, are we...?" Elliot trailed off, forgetting to finish his question, too overwhelmed by the thought of them being done with this dungeon slash maze slash monster pit.

"Looks like we are. That definitely seems to be the exit." Gaius answered his unfinished questioned.

"I can see sunlight streaming in, so I'm guessing we're in the clear." Rean remarked, it indeed being much brighter in this room than all the others.

"Done already?" Fie wondered aloud.

"Hmph. This was a complete waste of time. Pointless busywork at best." Jusis opined. "Considering the school's esteemed founder, I was expecting more of a challenge, but nothing here posed even a modest threat." The plaid pants wearing noble asserted.

"Did we even fight the same enemies? I feel like I've been stretched to my limits." Elliot put forth, sounding close to exhausted.

"Didn't even break a sweat." The silver haired girl commented.

"It was quite the warm-up." Gaius remarked.

"Yeah, didn't have nearly as hard a time as I thought we would." Rean expressed his pleasant surprise.

Elliot hung his head and groaned pathetically at this. "Am I the only one who had a hard time down here...?"

The sound of footsteps caught their attention then, the five looking back to see another of their ranks enter the final room. It was Machias, who upon noticing their presence, looked down at his shoes and began to rub the back of his neck anxiously, clearly more than just a little nervous about this. It had barely been an hour since the incident concerning him, Rean and Jusis, so...well, awkward was a good word to describe it.

"Hey guys, I, um...look, again, I'm truly sorry about what happened back there. I lost my head and-"

"It's cool." Rean cut him off.

"W-What?" Was the dark green haired teen's immediate response, his confusion clear as he looked up from the ground to his fellow teen.

"I can't speak for the others, but as far as I'm concerned, it's water under the bridge. We're good." He informed the bespectacled teen with a small smile. "I'm not going to hold one little argument like that against you. That's not what a friend does."

Fie looked to Rean, before looking to Machias and nodding her head in agreement with those words.

"I suppose I am partially to blame for the incident, so I have no right to hold it against you either." Jusis told him.

"Like I said, we all say and do things we regret sometimes. If everyone agonized over every mistake they ever made, nothing would ever get done." Elliot spoke up, letting the spectacles wearing seventeen year old know he forgave him as well.

"I couldn't agree more." Gaius said.

"T-Thank you very much, I appreciate it." Machias's gratitude was very clear, as he put his hands to his sides and performed a slight bow to the others.

Once fully upright once more, he noticed what the others already had. "Is that the exit?"

As Gaius explained that it was, Elliot mumbled just loud enough for his raven haired friend to hear, "I wonder what all that business about Class VII was anyway?"

"Good question." Rean replied to that. 'We've got people here from different backgrounds, classes, even cultures...' He thought to himself. 'Is there some sort of secret agenda with this whole Class VII thing that we just don't know about yet?' He pondered to himself.

Just then, the ground rumbling, along with basically the whole room, occurred, getting the undivided attention of all six teens.

"What was that?" Jusis asked.

"Look." Fie said simply, pointing to what she was looking at, everyone looking to it.

The large stone statue of a gargoyle began to come alive, quite literally. The dull grey of the stone faded from it's being, a livelier shade of it taking it's place, as well as black and purple coming into being, said purple being in large circular splotches on the joints. Breathing it's first breath of life, the creature's wings began to move, along with it's long, sharp pointed tail, as it inhaled and exhaled.

"The statue?!" Rean's shock was all too clear.

"What the heck is THAT!?" Elliot cried.

"A gargoyle come to life? What sorcery is this?" Jusis questioned, taken off guard by this occurrence.

"H-How is this even possible!?" Machias wondered in the same vein as the blonde.

"I don't know, but here it comes!" Rean warned.

And so it did, as the newly born gargoyle leapt from it's pedestal resting place, and landed hard on the floor below, cracking the very ground they stood on with it's considerable weight. Fangs bared, it craned it's neck towards them, peering at them with it's grey, lifeless eyes. Then, it proceeded to let out an eardrum splitting roar, almost seeming to shake the room around them as it did, showing off all it's razor sharp teeth as well as it's unproportionately large canines with it's maw wide open like that.

"Aaaaaah!" Elliot couldn't help but shriek in fear.

"Are monsters like this common in the Empire?" Gaius inquired, much more calmly than most would in the situation.

"Not outside of old wives' tales they aren't!" Machias and Jusis made that fact known in tandem.

"You'd be surprised." Fie interjected.

"Seriously, what kind of life have you led that you can say that with a straight face!?" Both Elliot and Machias demanded to know, clearly very incredulous and a little exasperated.

"This thing's cutting off our only route to the surface. There's no choice, we have to fight it!" Rean apprised the others, drawing his tachi as he did.

The others quickly followed his lead, drawing their weapons as well.

"Right!" The tallest of the group said.

"Finally, an opponent worthy of my skill." The blonde noble remarked.

"If it doesn't try to eat us, it'll skewer us on it's horns, if it doesn't crush us first that is. Watch yourself." The yellow-green eyed girl cautioned the others, looking completely unconcerned in spite of her words.

"Okay, now you're scaring me!" The dark green haired seventeen year old exclaimed with open irritation.

"Aidios help us!" The orange haired sixteen year old beseeched the goddess, as the monster reared back.

"Move!" Rean shouted, he and the others all dodging to the side, as the gargoyle lunged at them.

Three jumped to one side while three jumped to the other, splitting the group evenly, Rean, Fie and Machias on the left side of the beast, and Jusis, Gaius and Elliot on the right side. Using that to their advantage, they began to attack immediately, not giving the former stone-made being time to focus in on either group, or even enough time to turn it's head toward them.

Rean dashed forward and slashed at the beast's left front leg, his blade tearing a minor gash in the limb despite the resistance it met, blood failed to flow from the wound though. Fie stood back and began firing at the monster's side, pelting it's mid-section with bullets from her gun-swords. Machias took aim with his orbal shotgun and began supplementing the younger girl's shots with blasts from his own weapon, hoping to punch a hole in the creature's side.

Jusis pivoted forward and stabbed the gargoyle's right front leg, his imperial saber puncturing it's hide, though it failed to sink past one third of the way in because of the toughness of it's flesh. Gaius carved at it's right hind leg with the two side blades of his cross-spear, before thrusting the head of it into the same area, forcing it further in it's skin than his blonde ally, courtesy of the two prior cuts to it. Elliot took a single step back, before giving a single strong wave of his orbal staff, unleashing three blue colored balls of arts focused energy, all of which collided with the thing's right side, going through a process similar to popping as they made contact with their target.

Howling in pain from the in tandem attacks, the gargoyle quickly went on the defensive, spinning it's body a full three hundred and sixty degrees, lashing out with it's tail as it did, in an attempt to swat them with it. Pulling back, they all jumped backward to avoid the tail spin.

'It may not look like stone anymore, but it's body is still just as hard as if it was.' The raven haired boy noted mentally, sure the others had done the same.

Not intent on allowing them to harm it again, the beast, once it had finished the spin, swung on the left group with it's front claws, forcing them to evade once more, Machias just barely managing to do so. Before the right group could capitalize on the fact that the monster's back was to them, it's tail whipped toward them, keeping them at bay.

Fie began sprinting at the creature then, to which it tried to intercept her with swipes of it's claws, only to have her jump and leap over them every time it tried. It's enemy drawing too close for comfort, the gargoyle opened it's maw wide and began to spray fire from it's mouth, only for the silver haired girl to evade it as effortlessly as it's previous attacks, kicking off the ground and flipping overhead, and proceeding to land on it's back. Not wasting a single moment, she opened fire with her gun-swords, bombarding the back of the monster's skull with shots.

Vocalizing it's pain with a wail, it began to shake it's head frantically, in an attempt to shake her off. As it did that, it also swung it's tail back and forth, in an endeavor to ward off it's other assailants. However, it was to no avail, as the five seized the opportunity presented to them and barraged the beast with attacks.

Rean sliced up it's left front leg with his blade, creating rip after rip, gash after gash, in the beast's flesh. Jusis did the same for the right front leg, stabbing into it, before ripping his sword out and slashing it from top to bottom. Both teens had to avoid it's claws from time to time, as it tried to defend itself against them. Gaius tore at the gargoyle's right side, cutting it up with his side blades, before sinking all three into it's skin, just barely managing to do so, before ripping it out and repeating the process. Elliot took the left side, pelting it with wave after wave of arts energy from his staff. And Machias took the front, barraging it's neck with blasts from his orbal shotgun.

All the damage it accumulated in a matter of moments was staggering, as the former stone-made being began to shake and tremble as it's body succumbed to all the pain it was in, it's movements slowing and becoming sluggish. Which only served to make Fie's job of keeping herself from being dislodged from it's back all that much easier, having managed to keep herself rooted there even as it shook it's head about wildly. Capitalizing on this, Fie held the triggers down on her weapons, delaying the firing process, charging her next shots for more power. Releasing them a few moments later, two shots nearly punched through the gargoyle's skull, rocking it's head because of the impact and extra damage they inflicted.

Screeching in agony, the monster proceeded to collapse without warning, Fie hopped off of it as it did while the others leaped back to safety, it's body slamming into the ground hard, cracking it further and knocking up dust in the process.

All of the teens regrouped in front of the gargoyle, as it lie still, seemingly breathless, looking dead to the world.

"That should be the end of it." Jusis surmised.

"No, it's down, but not out!" Rean notified, as the beast took a shaky breath and began to climb back to it's feet.

"Aaaah!" Elliot couldn't help but shout in fear once again.

It's body stopped shaking, as it composed itself, beginning to glow a dark purple as it did.

"Wha-What's it doing!?" The orbal staff wielding boy inquired with trepidation.

"I think it's...changing." Machias theorized.

Indeed it was, as it's colors morphed, most of it's body turning a light shade of blue, almost cyan, while parts of it's legs and it's entire tail turned a dull gold, and it's claws and horns turned a deep maroon. It's transformation finished, the purple glow faded into nonexistence.

"It's stronger than before." The yellow-green eyed girl informed unceremoniously.

"That's one hell of a second wind." Gaius remarked.

"Stronger or not, we still have to take it down." Rean said.

As it roared at them yet again, the raven haired teen commented, "I guess it's time for round two."

...

The brightly colored gargoyle dropped out of the air, it's wings failing it, crashing into the ground near face first, damaging the stone even further, the floor now riddled all over with cracks. It had taken flight during the battle, but had taken too much damage to stay airborne, which resulted in it's fall.

Even still, despite it's great fatigue and numerous injuries, it forced itself off the ground and onto it's feet once more. Though it failed to take to the air again, as it's wings were too badly wounded to risk such a thing. Needless to say, it was running on fumes at this point, but was clearly not about to just roll over and die either.

"Ugh...I can appreciate a certain degree of tenacity, but this thing needs to just die." Jusis voiced his frustration.

"It's on it's last legs. One more push and it'll go down for the count." Fie told them.

"Argh." Came Elliot's tired moan, as he all but collapsed, just barely managing to keep himself off the floor by stopping himself with his free hand. He was clearly exhausted. He wouldn't be able to fight for much longer.

Machias wasn't in the best condition either, panting somewhat heavily. But he could probably stick it out, judging by the beast's own condition.

'The four of us should be able to outlast this monster, Machias probably can too. Elliot though, I don't know if he can hold out any longer. He can barely stand.' Rean thought to himself. 'If we don't finish this thing quick...'

"Stand back!" A new voice suddenly shouted, interrupting the raven haired seventeen year old's train of thought, as an arrow came out of nowhere and hit the gargoyle dead center in the chest. It was quickly followed up by a second, then a third, a fourth and finally a fifth. Looking back to see who had shot those arrows, they saw Alisa, her bow out. At the same time, three orbs of purple orbal energy came flying, hitting the beast dead on, having come from Emma's orbal staff, fading right afterward. Only a moment after that, Laura rushed by the six teens who had been fighting, and, with a cry of effort, proceeded to nearly lop off the creature's right front leg, her large bastard sword ripping through it's tough flesh with ease.

The only reason it didn't end up losing it's right front leg, was that it leapt a dozen feet back away from it's opponents, the large blade being torn out of it's body because of this, which elicited a shriek of great pain from it.

"Y-You made it!" Elliot exclaimed with great relief, managing to get back to his feet as he did.

"You've got some kinda timing," Gaius remarked,

"It's good that you're all okay." Alisa said, as she came to stand with the six.

"I-I'm sorry we took so long." Emma apologized, as she too came to stand with them.

"You're here, and that's what counts." Rean assured her.

"So, a gargoyle, is it? I didn't expect to find the Dark Ages alive and well down here." Laura commented, backing up, and being the last to fall in line with the others. "It seems as though it's barely hanging on as it is. This shouldn't be difficult to finish." She added.

"If we can find an opening that is." Jusis amended her words. "The beast is cornered and fighting for it's life, it won't be that easy to finish it off."

"It's fine, I'll make an opening." Fie suddenly stated lackadaisically.

Before anyone could question her on that, which they most certainly would have, she broke into a run. Closing the distance between the monster and her, she leaped upward to avoid it's jaws as it's teeth snapped at her, before proceeding to land directly behind it effortlessly, doing so in a crouched position. Her arms crossed and her weapons at the ready, she ripped into the back of the thing's right hind leg with two strong slashes, carving into it quite deep as she did.

It faltered then, almost collapsing as it vocalized it's agony with another screech.

"There's our opening, go!" Rean commanded in the heat of the moment. And just as he did, a vibrant blue light, white tinted, began to emanate from each of the nine's bodies, as well as their ARCUS units.

They all rushed the gargoyle then, not giving it any time time once so ever to attack or evade, beginning to cannonade it with with slashes, blasts and strikes of orbal energy. Three attacked from the left, Machias, Elliot and Gaius, three attacked from the right, Jusis, Emma and Alisa, one attack from behind, Fie, and two attacked from the front, Rean and Laura.

This constant assault gave the gargoyle no room to launch a counterattack or even to defend itself, simply too overwhelmed by it all to do much of anything but to writhe and roar.

Now was the time to finish it, they all knew that, so they acted accordingly.

Elliot and Emma hit the beast with the Aqua Bleed and Needle Shoot arts respectively from both sides. Gaius threw all his weight behind one strong jab of his spear, the head piercing the creature's hide with ease, Jusis performed a series of rapid thrusts on the opposite side. Machias released the inhibitor on his weapon and used his breakshot technique, the blast punching through the monster's hard skin, Alisa let a flurry of arrows fly from the opposing side. Fie shot up the former stone-made being's rear end, including it's tail. Laura sped forward and gave a great cleave of her sword, the blade ripping and tearing through the stone-hard skin of the being's right front leg, severing it from it's body completely.

That amputation caused a severe loss of stability, the creature falling forward, slamming onto the ground and nearly skidding as it did. It's head down as it vocalized it's agony, Rean pivoted toward it and thrust his tachi forward with a cry of effort, proceeding to sink his blade to the hilt in the gargoyle's skull, skewering it right between the eyes.

At that all attacks ceased, as it went perfectly still and deathly silent. Then, without warning, it's color began to fade, as it returned to it's stone form. Once it had returned to what it once was, it began to glow a dark purple with a pink tint, the light consuming the statue, before dematerializing into nonexistence, taking the light with it as it did. At the same time, the light originating from all nine teenagers faded away as well.

"I-It's gone." Elliot muttered to himself with relief.

"We did it!" Alisa exclaimed.

The nine all put away their weapons then, before regrouping.

"Phew...I think that's the end of it." Emma breathed a sigh of relief.

"At the very least, that creature doesn't seem like it'll be coming back for a rematch anytime soon." Gaius stated.

"Yeah, let's hope not." Machias affixed to that statement.

"You never know, it could." Fie jested, though in a way that made it sound as if she was completely serious.

"Would you stop that!?" The bespectacled boy all but begged her.

"What happened there, anyway? Right at the end of the battle..." Elliot began to wonder aloud, getting attention of the two gun wielders, as well as the others.

"Now that you mention it, I did feel something wash over me for just a second there." Alisa mentioned.

"It was like each of us were engulfed in some faint, blue light." Machias added.

"I did notice something as we fought. Perhaps it was just the blur of combat...but I felt like I could see everyone's movements in precise detail." Laura gave her observation.

"I don't think it was just your imagination. It was the same for me." Fie said.

"Agreed. I have a feeling what we just experienced was-" Rean started, only to be cut off. "...the biggest selling point of the almighty ARCUS?" Sara finished for him. "Give this man a prize!"

Surprised by the sound of that voice, they all turned towards the two flights of steps leading up to the exit, to see Sara there, at the top of the first flight, making her way down to them. "Looks like friendship and teamwork save the day once again! I'm so proud of you guys!"

No one was sure what to say in response to that, simply idling silently as the pink haired woman came down to their level and approached them, stopping just a few short feet in front of their formed line.

"Anyway, that about finishes up today's special...orienteering...exercise..." Sara's joyful momentum faded considerably as she realized none of them looked particularly pleased. "...Aww, what's with the long faces? I thought you'd all be happy!"

"W-What are we supposed to be happy about?" The dark green haired one of the group questioned with bewilderment.

"I have so many questions, I'm not even sure where to start..." The blonde haired girl disclosed.

"Oh?" Sara said simply, waiting for those questions to come.

"I'll take a stab at it." Jusis volunteered. "What exactly is the purpose behind this Class Seven?"

"Class VII, actually." The twenty something corrected.

"Again with that!?" The dark green eyed teen voiced his aggravation.

"I mean, we get that it's supposed to be some sort of melting pot that includes a broad cross-section of people..." Emma continued for the blonde noble, in an effort to get past the whole name of the class thing.

"But why were the nine of us chosen, in particular?" The blue haired girl asked straight up rather than dragging it out like the brunette.

"Hmm...that is a valid question." Sara conceded. "There's no single, monolithic reason why you all made the list...but if I had to name a major contributing factor, it'd be those ARCUS orbments you've got there."

"How so?" Rean inquired further.

"Well, like I explained earlier, the ARCUS units are developed jointly by the Epstein Foundation and the Reinford Company. And like any battle orbment, they let you use arts, and these have communication functionality built in. But over all that, what is easily their crowning feature, is what's known as combat linking. That's the phenomenon you all experienced just now." The Instructor elucidated.

"So that's what that was..." Alisa whispered to herself.

"Seems like a pretty apt term. It did feel like we were all connected, somehow." Elliot admitted.

"Precisely! Doesn't take a genius to imagine how much of an advantage a feature like that would be on a real battlefield. An elite unit that can sense each other's movements, acting in perfect sync, even in the most chaotic conditions...you can hardly put a price on that!" The pink haired woman explicated. "It could bring about a revolution in the way wars are fought!" She added.

"Hmm...it does sound rather..." Laura began.

"Idealistic." Fie finished for her.

"Well, yeah, the technology has its limits. Some have a natural aptitude for it. Others just...don't. And out of this year's fresh batch of bright eyed students, the nine of you turned out to have the highest aptitude. And since aptitude trumps background in Class VII, well...here you are." The oldest of them all explained.

"But what gives us this aptitude, though, as compared to our peers?" The orbal shotgun user queried. "It just seems so...random."

"What indeed!" Was the woman's response, no attempt to expound their aptitude and why they had it over their fellow students in any way. It made one wonder if she even knew herself. "As promised, if any of you have objections to being in this class, speak now or forever hold your peace." She instructed them, only to continue on speaking before they had the chance to do so. "I think that pretty much covers the hows and the whys of your situation. But this program isn't cheap to run, so we're not about to force anyone into it if they don't want to be here. You should also be aware that Class VII's curriculum will be tougher than any other class' coursework. Just fair warning." She divulged.

"So...now you know. And that leaves you all with an important decision to make. Will you stick with Class VII, or not?" She posed to them, seeming to actually want an answer this time. "Oh, and if you opt out, you'll just be placed in the class you would've been assigned to otherwise. There's no pressure. Nobles will land in class one or two, commoners in three, four, or five. It's still just the first day, so there's no real catching up you'd have to do." The trench coat wearing woman promulgated. "I'm sure you'd fit in just fine."

Nothing but silence followed her words, everyone clearly lost in their thoughts.

Rean closed his eyes as he thought it over, though the moment he did, the image of him as a child bathed in blood flashed in his mind's eye, along with the wounded form of Fie and the terrified one of Elise. 'I don't ever want something like that to happen again.' Opening his eyes, he proceeded to glance Fie's way, his irises lingering on her for a couple of moments, before he looked back toward Sara. He had made his decision.

Stepping forward, he proclaimed, "I'll do it. Whatever Class VII has to throw at me, I'm game."

"Wait, what!?" Alisa nearly did a double take at that.

"Just like that!?" Elliot queried with shock.

"So, you're the first then. You seem pretty sure about it. Any particular reason?" Sara inquired.

"Not really. I just feel like I've put my family out, asking them to send me to this school. So if it gives me more to show for my time here, I'll take whatever opportunities come my way." He replied, giving a half truth as his answer.

"Mmm. A noble sentiment." She remarked. "And what about you, Fie?" She went on to question, looking to said girl as she did.

Fie failed to respond at first, her eyes seeking out Rean instead, remaining glued to him for a few short moments, before returning to her older friend. "Yeah, I'll join too." She said then, stepping forward as well.

"Good, you're finally making your own decisions. I'm proud of you Fie." Sara let her know. "Okay, that makes an even two. Anyone else?"

"Count me in as well. The greater the challenge, the more I can push myself to excel. One can't hone a blade without grit, after all." Laura reasoned as she stepped forward.

"Let's make it four." Gaius spoke up. "Considering how far I came to attend this school, it'd be silly to back down before I even started." He expatiated while steeping forward.

"Well, looks like we've got the country's strongest freshman on board, and our foreign exchange student too. Any more takers?" The choker wearing woman asked.

"Allow me to take part as well. I was only able to come here because of the school's generosity, so I feel it's my duty to help in any way I can." Emma verbalized her choice, as she stepped forward also.

"S-Sign me up too! I kinda feel like fate brought us here for a reason, ya know? And you all seem pretty easy to get along with." Elliot commented, taking a step forward as he did.

"And that's a yes from our two orbal staff users. Though I feel compelled to remind you, your weapons are still in the prototype stage, so on top of your other work, I'll be expecting reports from both of you!" The yellow eyed woman informed them.

"Heh. Of course." The bespectacled girl agreed.

"Ugh...maybe I spoke too soon." Elliot thought aloud to himself.

"Let me join too." Alisa piped up, doing as the others did and stepping forward.

"Oh? Now there's a surprise. I was almost certain your rebellious streak would see you opt out just on general principle." Sara voiced her slight surprise.

"It does bother me that you've got us using these ARCUS units that are still pretty clearly in development, but if I let every little nitpick like that hold me back, I'd never amount to much." The bow wielder elaborated on her reasoning.

"Haha. Words to live by, right there." The instructor commented. "We've got a magnificent seven now...which just leaves the two of you. So, hows about it? You guys in, or out?" She questioned, looking toward the only two left as she did.

The two in question, rather than answer, merely glanced at one and other, clearly not comfortable being in the same class. They were obviously waiting to see if the other would join, so they'd know to opt out.

"I can see you've got issues with each other, but that doesn't mean you can't at least try to work together. Why, if you just look past your differences and embrace the joys of youth, I'm sure you'll become the best of friends!" Sara assured them merrily.

"Like hell we will!" Machias spat. "The exploitation of the common people by the aristocracy is a blight on every facet of Erebonian life! Unless something is done about it, this country has no future!" He exclaimed with heat.

"I appreciate your candor, but I don't think you're going to achieve much by lecturing me about it." The twenty something woman let him know

"Well, at least that makes this simple." Jusis said, as he stepped forward. "I, Jusis Albarea, claim my place as a member of Class VII."

"Wh-What!? Why!?" The bespectacled boy inquired, clearly caught completely off guard. "You're the son of a duke! Just the thought of being in the same class as commoners should make you sick!"

"I'll thank you not to tell me how I'm supposed to feel. As far as the house of Albarea is concerned, there's little difference between other nobles and commoners. Besides, this should at least ensure I won't have fools flitting about every day trying to win my favor." The blue eyed noble vocalized his secondary reason for wanting to join the new class. "That said, I have little interest in getting drawn into your petty arguments on a daily basis either. I think it would be prudent for us to go our separate ways. I'm certain we can at least agree on this, no?"

"I don't need some pompous ass who coasts through life on his father's coattails telling me what to do!" Machias retorted without delay. "I'm in, come hell or high water!" He asserted, taking a single step forward to be in line with the others once more. "You might've had your success spoon-fed to you up to now, but no outmoded class system is going to hand you trophies anymore!"

"Hmph. We'll see about that." Jusis scoffed, the two beginning to glare at one and other as he did.

"They're going to be like this pretty much all year, aren't they?" Rean asked nobody in particular with a sigh.

"Sure seems that way. I wouldn't bet on them ever seeing eye to eye." Alisa gave her take on the matter.

"Yeah, probably not going to get better anytime soon. If ever." Elliot commented.

"You can say that again." Gaius added.

As Machias and Jusis continued their stare down, and some of the others remarked on it, Rean looked towards Fie once more, making eye contact with the fifteen year old. As he did he couldn't help but smile at her, which she returned, though smaller, in kind.

"Well, how about that? Nine out of nine!" Sara exclaimed with cheer. "With that, I'd like to congratulate all of you on being the first ever Class VII! And I hope you keep those high spirits all year, cause with the workload we've got planned for you, you'll be needing them!"

Little did the students below know, that at the top of the flights of stairs, right beside the exit, stood two men, watching their exchange with each other and their teacher with great interest. One was Principal Vandyck, and the other was a regal looking young man with fine clothes, blonde hair tied back in a pony tail and cordovan colored eyes.

* * *

END NOTE: I don't usually leave notes at the end, but I decided I didn't want this at the beginning. Yes, in case you're wondering, I purposely skipped over the fights. Why? Because they're nothing special, I'll save writing out battles for the considerably more interesting ones. Okay, then why was the one with Iglute so short? Because it's the first one, and I felt it didn't really need all that much done with it. Not to mention that there's no real reason to drag it out, as Class VII as a whole did and would dominate that thing every time, even at the beginning. It's just not strong enough to stand up to the nine of them for very long...so, yeah. So, I apologize if the first battle in this story seems short and just bleh. Trust me, the fights will get better.


	3. Settling In

Jose19: Yeah, I know, and quite frankly, I don't care. I can't stand the Rean and Alisa pairing, like at all. For me it's Rean and Fie or bust, with one exception. I actually quite like Alisa as a character, to be fair I love all of Class VII, but I absolutely loathe the idea of her and Rean together. I've played and beaten both games, so I really don't see why you mentioned it in the first place, to be honest.

Tsyne-Oblivion: Oh believe me, I feel you there, all too well in fact. I picked the first Trails up sometime in December 2015, beat it in about a week, yeah, I was on it non-stop, and finished it with the Fie ending. And...well, tears were shed, that is all I shall disclose. It was torture waiting nine months to pick up the sequel, it really, truly was. Especially with the subsequent play-throughs. Yeah, if the game had played out without that pairing in mind, it's just my opinion of course, but I think it would have been, even if it was just a little bit, better. Though I am biased, as I really just can't stand the Rean and Alisa pairing. Which is weird, because I don't have anything against Alisa herself. Anyway, I digress.

8Swords: Why thank you! I will always do my best to keep them in character, that said, I might have a few...alternate interpretations, to how certain characters would react in certain situations. Whether the few of you reading this will share those interpretations or not, well, we shall see, eventually.

I see, thanks for the input on that. And I apologize if that irked you, or anyone else for that matter, as I'm just used to doing it. Most likely because reading each character's name over and over again when they say or do something seems a little repetitive, at least in my perspective. If no one is bothered by it, then I suppose there's no harm in just using their names each time. That said, do you've any alternatives to suggest that might hit the sweet spot between those two methods?

Yes, I suppose it has. I'll put the joke to rest...for now. XD

I concur with that assessment, and besides those, there will be other battles thrown into the mix that never occurred, or happened in a different way, place and or time. Also, yes, I will be doing CS II, as well as III. Which, as I said before, will most likely be completely original from my head, as it's release is so very far away here in the states.

Apex85: Well, in my opinion at least, it's because they had only known each other for a handful of hours, and that's being generous, and that he was already steemed with Jusis. I'm glad you feel that way. Also, I saw that you're the one who directed ZealousSiren to my story, which is how I, in turn, found his story. So, I thank you, my friend. :)

Good, cause I've most definitely got some good ones planned. Or, well, I think they're good anyway.

Both, actually. For some chapters I'll be filling out the days inbetween, others I'll be skipping to a day or two before the field study. This one is the latter.

Yes, I do. The members of each group, for every field study, will be altered by at least two members, if everything goes according to plan.

RedBurningDragon: Thank you. They will get new moves and a variation or two of some of their original ones, most likely. The Tales series? As far as I aware, there aren't any entries in the Legend Of Heroes franchise with the word tales in the title, so, um...yeah, I don't know. Sorry.

ZealousSiren: Good, I'm glad, also, thank you. And trust me, I have every intention of making bigger changes as I move forward, it's just a matter of time is all.

Before we get into it, I'd like to thank, as I said before, those that reviewed, but also those that have added this to their favorites and or alerts since the last chapter. So, thank you Tsyne-Oblivion, dougcupcake, Yuuto2, RedBurningDragon and ZeaousSiren!

Now then, here we go. The first chapter begins. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT I -**_ _ **CHAPTER I -**_ _ **PART I**_

 ** _..._**

 **Septian Calendar 1204**  
 **4/17 - Saturday  
**

Rean stifled a yawn, as he straightened his tie, watching himself in the mirror as he did so as to make sure he got it right. He was just about done getting ready, once he fixed his tie he'd be off to school. Which he had been attending for a little over two weeks at this point.

In the past said two and a half weeks, he had kept busy. He had met a number of the students, as well as Instructor Neithardt, the military studies teacher, Instructor Beatrix, the medical teacher as well as the nurse, Instructor Makarov, the orbal engineering and biology teacher, Instructor Mary, the fine arts teacher, and Instructor Thomas, the history and literature teacher. With those five, the janitor, the librarian, the receptionist, Instructor Sara, and the principal and vice principal, the entirety of the faculty was accounted for. Despite their small numbers, they ran the school without so much as a hint of a problem. It was rather impressive.

He didn't know very much about any of them, of course, but it's not like he had much chance to interact with them outside of school, as the first free day had yet to arrive, not to mention that the coursework was a little...more difficult than he had anticipated. Not terribly so, but still. And on top of all that, his free time before curfew was always spent catching up with Fie, or hanging out with Machias, Elliot and Gaius. Jusis didn't seem interested in interacting with them all too much, Laura just did her own thing, Alisa was friendly but didn't hang around much, and the same could be said for Emma. Though she and Fie did seem to be getting along better than some of the others did.

His overall interaction with his fellow students could definitely be improved, especially his classmates, and he intended to do that, at least with the other members of Class VII, as he would be spending a lot of time with them here at this academy. He just wasn't a hundred percent sure how to do that yet though.

Tie finally straightened, Rean turned away from the mirror, and walked over to his bedside, momentarily forgetting about his concerns as he did. Stopping at the double layered shelf, he fixed the positioning of one of the two picture frames that sat upon the top layer. It was a recent photo of him, his father, mother and sister, shortly before he left for Thors. Once he had done so, his eyes fell upon the second photo, this one from eight years ago, featuring Fie, Elise and himself as children. Both of these pictures brought a smile to his face and warmth to his heart, however, both faded as he recalled what Fie had told him about Zephyr. How Rudger, her surrogate father, died in battle, and how the corp disbanded shortly after, leaving her all alone. 'How could they just abandon her like that?' He thought bitterly to himself.

He knew very little about Zephyr as a whole, just that they had been Fie's family and their boss her adoptive father. He had only ever met two other members of the group besides Fie, and that was on the day she had left Ymir. In short, he knew just about nothing. So perhaps he had no right to judge, and maybe, just maybe, they had a good reason for doing what they did, but to abandon her, just like that...well, needless to say, it angered him a great deal.

It was at that moment the sound of knocking at his door caught the teen's attention, pulling him from his thoughts. "Come in."

With his permission, they proceeded to open the door and enter his room, closing the door behind them as they did so. "Morning."

"Fie, good morning." He greeted the silver haired girl, his smile returning.

"Almost everyone's left for school." She informed him, not needing to verbalize why she had come to tell him that, it being quite simple. 'I came to get you.'

"Yeah, I know. I was just on my way out too." He assured her. "You coming with?" It was an unnecessary question, she always did.

She simply nodded her head at that, as she did though, her eyes caught sight of the picture he had just been looking at. "Is that...?"

"Yeah, it is." He answered her unfinished question, as she walked over to take a look at it.

"I'm surprised you still have it." The fifteen year old disclosed.

"Why wouldn't I? It's the only thing I had to remember you by, of course I'd keep it with me." He explained, his irises shifting to the photo once more, along with his female friend's.

* * *

 _Fie couldn't fight away the blush staining her cheeks, nor could she help but continue to fidget, clearly uncomfortable being in the dark green dress she wore. Why hadn't she taken it off? Two reasons. The first, it was what she was supposed to wear for the picture that she was going to take with her two best friends. The second, it had been picked out specifically for her by the Schwarzers, and had been paid for entirely by the Schwarzers. What made it even worse, was that they had told her she didn't have to wear it if she didn't like it, but that they really hoped she liked it. How could she possibly not wear it? 'It's only for the picture.' She reminded herself._

 _It was only made worse by the giggles coming from the other two, the siblings finding her inability to stay still in the clothing humorous. That, of course, just served to darken the red covering her face._

 _"You really don't like the dress?" Rean asked her, not even trying to stifle his amusement._

 _"It's not that I don't like it, it's just...it itches. And it...feels weird." The seven year old replied._

 _"I don't get it, I wear dresses all the time, they never make me feel itchy or weird." Elise stated. "I wonder why that is?"_

 _"I don't know, I've never worn a dress before." The silver haired child admitted._

 _"Never?" The siblings queried in unison._

 _She just shook her head at that, confirming her words._

* * *

"You know, that was the only time I ever saw you in a dress." Rean commented.

"Yeah, and I haven't worn one since." Fie remarked, her distaste, however small, for the article of clothing clear.

"That's too bad, you'd look really cute in one." He said without thinking, only realizing what he had said after the words had left his mouth.

"What I meant was that I-I mean-wh-what I was trying to say was-" The seventeen year old began almost immediately after, red dusting both his and Fie's cheeks at his statement, said red only darkening as he spluttered in an attempt to correct himself.

"We should get going." She said then, in an attempt to relieve the embarrassment caused to both parties by the older boy's words.

Which Rean latched onto immediately with gratitude, "R-Right, you're right. We should be going." He agreed with a nod, moving to his door as he did and proceeding to open it, letting his childhood friend exit his room before he followed.

Closing the door behind him, Rean couldn't help but sigh. 'Why did I say that?'

Blushes fading away, the two turned and prepared to make for the staircase, only to catch sight of Elliot approaching them.

"Oh, Rean, Fie." Elliot vocalized their names as he realized they were there, having just exited his room himself.

"Morning, Elliot." Rean greeted his fellow teen.

"Morning." Fie did the same.

"Heh, good morning." Elliot returned the greeting with a pleasant smile. "Are you two heading to school now too? How about we walk there together?" He suggested, clearly not having seen them come out of Rean's room, judging by his lack of a reaction.

"Sure. It's getting late though, so we might need to pick up the pace a little." The oldest of the three pointed out.

"No problem." Elliot agreed, the three teens moving to the staircase as he did. "I'm guessing everyone else left already, huh?" He questioned, after having taken a quick look around.

"I can't sense anyone besides the three of us in the building, so, yeah, sure looks that way." Rean said, as they began to descend the staircase between the second and first floor of their dorm room. "That's not that much of a surprise though. Especially for Gaius, being the early riser he is. Machias would never let himself be even close to being late to class. Jusis is probably the same, though for different reasons most likely. And Laura, Emma and Alisa don't strike me as the types to wait till the last moment either." He explicated.

"Y-yeah, you're right." The sixteen year old said with a nod of his head. 'He's not sensing anyone? I still don't know exactly what he means by that.' He thought to himself.

Silence fell between the three for a number of moments, until they left the dorm and began their trek through Trista to Thors, where the conversation picked back up.

"These past two and a half weeks have really flown by, haven't they? It's funny. I went into this thinking combat practice would be the toughest part of the curriculum. I never would have guessed the academic side of things might give it a run for its money!" Elliot voiced his surprise on the matter.

"Well, 'strong in body and mind' is pretty firmly embedded into imperial culture. I do get what you mean though. I figured I'd be able to coast through the year , but I've had to very quickly reevaluate that." Rean admitted, as the difficulty had caught him a little off guard. It wasn't that he couldn't handle it, just that...he couldn't handle it as well as he would have liked to.

"You too, huh?" The emerald green eyed boy asked with a sigh. "I wish I were as smart as Machias or Emma. They don't seem to be having any problems at all. But then, Emma got the top score on the entrance exam, and I'll bet you anything Machias wasn't far behind."

"I'm sure." Rean concurred. "Jusis and Alisa are apparently doing really well too, as are Laura and Gaius." He mentioned.

"R-Really? Guess I'm just going to have to suck it up then..." The orbal staff user conceded.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not doing so hot on the academic side of things either." Fie disclosed to the two older boys.

"Heh. It doesn't, but thank you anyways, Fie. " The raven haired teen acknowledged her attempt.

"I guess that makes us the academically challenged trio of our class, huh?" Elliot remarked with a chuckle.

The three came to a stop then, right smack dab in the middle of the walkway between the high class dorms and the low class dorms.

"That's where we'd be if we weren't in Class VII. Dormitory number two...for all the common folk like us." Elliot indicated the building in question as he said this.

"You and me would, but not Rean." Fie corrected him.

"Huh?"

"Rean would be in the first dormitory, cause he's a noble, remember?" The silver haired girl reminded him.

"Eheheh, I forgot about that actually. " He confessed. "It's just so weird to think about Rean as a noble, he acts just like the rest of us, ya know?"

"Honestly, I'm glad you feel that way Elliot." Rean told his younger friend. "I'm still kind of shocked Class VII gets to have it's own dormitory though." He said then, changing the subject a bit. "To be fair, I think that building was abandoned till this year. Seems like they renovated it just for us."

"Well, they did a good job. It's got a nice feel to it." The orange haired teen commented, going along with the shift away from Rean's noble position, "I just wish it were a little closer to the academy..."

"Hey, you're in our way. Step aside at once." A fourth, new voice, came suddenly.

Their attention caught, the three turned to see Patrick T. Hyarms and two of his noble flunkies coming to a stop before them.

"Hmph. Class VII, I see." Patrick spoke of them with a clear dislike in his tone.

"I-Is something the matter?" The second youngest of the trio questioned the blonde.

"You're just a ragtag bunch of nobodies, aren't you?" The blonde regarded them with a sneer, after having taken a quick once over of them. "Come on, we're leaving."

"Yes Patrick." The first flunkie agreed without delay.

"A word of advice. You might be part of a 'special' class...but that doesn't change who you are. Never forget your place." The second flunkie apprised them.

The three nobles then proceeded to bypass the tri and begin on their way down the path to the academy gate.

"So they're from one of the upper classes..." Elliot said with a sigh. "This is why I hate talking to them."

"Unfortunately, that attitude is all too common among nobles." Rean informed him. "Thank goodness Laura and Jusis aren't like that."

"If they were, I'd have to knock their teeth in." Fie stated matter-of-factly.

Elliot couldn't help but stare at the younger girl with wide eyes and a powerful feeling of incredulousness at that. 'She's kind of scary...'

Managing to snap himself out of it, he went on to say, "You know what, speaking of nobility, no one outside of our class knows your a noble, huh?"

"Yeah, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time." Rean opined.

"I wonder if they would have been a little nicer to us had they known..." The orbal staff user wondered aloud.

"Doubt it." The yellow-green eyed girl gave her two cents on the matter.

"Fie's right. I'm just the son of a baron, nothing really impressive, especially to someone from one of the Four Great Houses." The dark haired seventeen year old concurred.

"I suppose you're right." Elliot conceded.

That's when the sound of the school bell caught their attention.

"Guess that's our cue to pick up the pace." Rean said then, referring to the bell.

"Uh-huh." The youngest of the trio agreed.

"Yeah, sorry." The second youngest apologized.

The three continued on their way to the academy then, not that it stopped the flow of conversation.

"Oh, hey, have you picked out a club to join yet? Doesn't sound like you have to or anything, but it's probably a good way to meet people." Elliot looked to his dark haired friend as he said this.

"No, I'm still looking. It's hard to decide on one. Besides, I've met a ton of people already. I need to focus on getting to know them instead, especially the rest of Class VII. I mean, Fie, Machias, Gaius and you are my friends, but I can't really say the same about the others." He replied. "What about you Fie, decided what club you wanna join yet?" He went on to ask the younger girl.

"Not really. I don't think I even want to." She divulged.

"You should, it'd be good for you. Why not join the swimming club or the gardening club? You don't mind swimming, and you actually like flowers." Rean recommended.

"I'll think about it." Fie capitulated to a degree.

* * *

Seventh period, Combat Practice.

"Alright kiddos, today I'm going to be testing your individual strength, and ranking you accordingly." Sara informed her charges jovially, all of whom stood before her on the academy field, which was devoid of human life besides the ten of them. "Number one, of course, being the toughest of you, and nine being the weakest. Now, don't take it personally, this is just to get a rough sense of where you all stand when it comes to combat capability, and even, possibly, give incentive to some of you to work harder to better yourselves in that area." She elaborated. "And rest assured, this will not affect how I see any of you. As far as I'm concerned, you'll all still be my cute little munchkins." She assured them happily.

"Okay, she's just making fun of us now." Machias opined with a sigh.

"Yep." Fie agreed without a half second of hesitation. "It's what she does."

"Looks that way." Rean concurred.

"Can't argue with that." Gaius said.

"It's seriously grating on my nerves." Jusis commented then.

"I can't deny that I feel similarly." Laura added.

"Isn't teasing students supposed to be below the dignity of an instructor?" Alisa queried.

"Apparently not." Elliot responded with a halfhearted chuckle.

"I'm sure she doesn't mean anything by it." Emma tried to give the older woman the benefit of the doubt.

"Come now you guys, wipe those sour looks off your faces. This'll be fun, trust me." Sara tried to reassure them.

"Fun for you maybe." Fie stated then.

"What do you mean by that?" Elliot inquired.

"How do you think she's going to gauge just how strong we are? By fighting us herself." Fie explained to the others.

"Wait, what?" Alisa was clearly caught off guard by that bit of info.

"So we'll be fighting our Instructor one on one then?" Gaius questioned.

"Yes." Was the silver haired girl's answer.

"Each of us?" Emma asked.

The fifteen year old nodded her head at that. "One after the other." She clarified then.

"Is that wise? I mean, sure, she's probably stronger than all of us. But can she really fight every one of us back to back? Seems a little excessive to me." Machias gave his two cents on the matter. "She could get hurt, especially if she plans for us to go all out against her. After all, there are nine of us. Two of whom seem ridiculously strong as it is." He was, of course, referring to Laura and Fie as he said this.

"You truly don't understand how in over our heads we are." The yellow-green eyed girl muttered to herself monotonously.

"I'm rather curious as to how this will turn out now." Laura admitted.

"Hmph, fine. If that's how it is, then I shall go first." Jusis volunteered, stepping forward as he did. "I may not be strong or skilled enough to win, but I will at least show my competence for battle."

Rean simply shook his head at all this. 'I can't tell how strong she is exactly, but I know that she could easily hand us our asses all at once. So...yeah, this isn't gonna go well.'

"Well, alright then, that's the spirit! Jumping right into it!" Sara exclaimed, as she pulled her weapons out, revealing her armaments as a pink orbal handgun and a pink interestingly designed sword.

"An orbal gun...and a sword...?" Emma wondered aloud about that equipment.

"Those are...terrifying looking weapons." Alisa remarked. And indeed they were, as the craftsmanship was absolutely flawless, making them extremely deadly, as well as beautiful.

"Let me give each of you some advice." Sara began, suddenly sounding considerably more serious than before, though the joyful splash to her tone was still there. "Come at me with the intent to kill, otherwise, you might be the ones who end up dead."

Everyone went deadly silent at that... "Just kidding!" Sara said then, nearly causing everyone to face plant. "But seriously, come at me with all you've got. Because if you don't, then I won't be able to get an accurate reading on your power." She explicated.

With that Jusis drew his imperial saber, and prepared to do battle with the twenty something woman. "Let's just get this over with."

Two seconds later...

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jusis cried as he was sent flying, having been taken completely off his feet and sent soaring back twenty or so feet, nearly crashing into the horse stable as he landed, hitting the ground none too gently and beginning to roll violently.

The entirety of Class VII, the eight members left anyway, couldn't help but collectively sweatdrop at that.

"Well, it's over." Fie quipped, though rather dryly.

"I-Is he gonna be okay!?" Elliot wondered aloud, clearly quite worried.

"I had no idea she was that strong..." Alisa's bafflement at the instructor's show of strength was great.

"I believe she was holding back too." Gaius added, clearly amazed by the woman's strength as well, just much less so than some of the others, as he had more of an idea as to how strong she was.

"Holy crap! That's some monstrous fricking strength!" Machias exclaimed in bewilderment.

"I couldn't even hazard as to guess what kind of fighting style that was." Laura remarked.

"I'm not sure it was a part of one. It looked like he tried to attack her, and she just sent him packing." Emma stated.

"This is going to suck." Rean said to himself with a defeated sigh.

"Alright, that's one down. So, who's next?" Sara inquired excitedly.

* * *

The school bell began to ring, signalling the end of the day's classes.

"Nice work everyone. You made it through another day of grueling classes!" Sara congratulated her students. "In case you've been living under a rock, please don't forget that tomorrow is your first free day. It's not teeeeechnically a day off, but there are no classes, so it's up to you what to do with your time. Why, you could go shopping in the capital if you wanted to! Or...just do what I do, and sleep all day." She offered as a suggestion. "Sleep is so wonderful!" She added happily then, speaking more to herself than her class.

There was a collective sweatdrop from the entirety of Class VII at that.

"Um, will the academy's facilities still be open for our use?" Emma inquired, after the she and the others had gotten over the ridiculousness that was Sara.

"Yes, I'd like to be able to use the free study area in the library myself." Machias added.

"Of course! This school shuts down for no one, so feel free to patronize any and all facilities as you like. A lot of clubs have meets scheduled for these free days as well, so anyone who's joined one should probably check on that." The pink haired woman notified them. "Also, before you leave, we should go over what's happening next week. On Wednesday, you all have your practical exam."

"A practical exam?" Rean repeated with confusion.

"What does that entail, exactly?" Alisa inquired.

"It's part of your combat training." She answered. "You'll be graded on your performance, so make sure you're well rested and ready for battle by then!" She explicated. "Might be a good idea to do some training on your own time too, just to keep from getting rusty. I know a few of you in particular could use it." She was, of course, referring to the three lowest scorers in her little test of power from seventh period.

They all knew who they were too, as Elliot scratched his cheek and chuckled nervously, Emma giggled awkwardly in much the same way, and Alisa sighed and resisted the urge to hang her head.

"Hmm, interesting." Jusis commented.

"I definitely don't like the sound of that." Elliot said to himself. "And if earlier was any indication..." He trailed off, just remembering how each member of their class was sent hurdling through the air sending a shiver down his spine.

Fie simply yawned at this.

"Oh, and one more thing! After the practical exam is over, I've got another important announcement...about a major part of Class VII's curriculum that I haven't mention at all yet." Sara mention then, attempting to arouse curiosity in her students.

"Wh-What?" Was all Machias could say to that.

"Should've seen this coming." The youngest of the group said with a sigh.

"So, whatever you choose to do on your free day, make it count for something. That concludes today's homeroom. Machias, if you'll do the honors?"

"Y-Yes Instructor." Machias replied to the older woman. "All rise...bow."

...

Only Rean, Fie, Machias, Gaius and Elliot remained in the classroom, the others having left just a moment ago. Rean sat at his desk, Fie sat at the one beside him to his left, having moved to it after people got up to leave, though she sat it the chair sideways, so she was facing her childhood friend. Machias, Elliot and Gaius stood to the right side of Rean, opting to stand rather than sit.

"I'm a little worried about the practical exam next week." Elliot confessed. "Okay, a little is an understatement. I mean, I'm literally the weakest one of our class." He couldn't help but hang his head at this.

"I'd be happy to help you train, if you need a sparring partner." Rean offered the younger teen. "The gymnasium looks big enough that I'm sure we'd have no trouble finding a good spot for it."

"I wouldn't mind doing the same." Machias said.

"I'm in." Fie threw her hat into the affair as well, figuratively, of course.

"That's very kind of you guys to offer. But I was planning on attending club practice today." Elliot informed them.

"Oh, you've joined a club already? Which one did you pick?" Rean questioned.

"I, uh...decided to try for the band. Though I'm not sure how much use they'll have for a violinist." The orange hared teen admitted.

"I didn't know you played the violin." The raven haired teen said with surprise.

"Neither did I." The dark green haired teen echoed his statement.

"I was unaware of it as well." Gaius echoed it as well.

"Never got around to telling you guys, I guess." Elliot said with a nervous shrug. "How about you Gaius? Have you joined any of the school's clubs?" He changed the focus of the conversation from himself to the foreigner.

"I'm considering joining the art club." He told them.

"Art, huh? Somehow, that's not what I pictured for you. No pun intended." Rean commented.

"Do you have any artistic experience?" The orbal staff user queried.

"I dabbled in it back home. Taught myself though, so I feel like this could be a good chance to learn proper technique." Gaius explained his reasoning.

"Wow, that's pretty cool." The sixteen year old boy remarked.

"I'd love to see some of your work sometime." Rean said.

"What about you Machias, joined any clubs yet?" Gaius questioned the bespectacled teen.

"I've been thinking about joining the chess club, actually." Was Machias's answer.

"Chess huh? How long have you been playing?" Rean asked.

"Since I was a kid."

The door to the classroom being suddenly thrown open, hitting the wall somewhat forcefully as it did, caught the five teens attention then, drawing it to the one who had just entered the room.

"Oh, good, you're still here!" Sara exclaimed, as she laid eyes on the five.

"Is there a problem?" Gaius inquired.

"No, no, I was just hoping someone could do a...teensy little favor for me?" Sara began, coming over to the desk where they were gathered as she did. "There's something I need picked up from the Student Council room." She told them.

"Something you need picked up?" Elliot repeated.

"What would that be?" Gaius questioned.

"Heh. That's for me to know, and you to find out. All I'll say is, it's something absolutely essential to your school life." The twenty something was purposely being vague as she said this. "And somebody needs to go get it! Though it doesn't matter who. Any volunteers?" She asked with a smile.

"Sure. I'll go." Rean immediately volunteered. "If I show up in the Student Council room and tell them you sent me, they'll know why I'm there, right?"

"W-Wait..." Elliot started to protest.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Gaius questioned his friend.

"Yeah, I mean, there are five of us here, you don't have to be the one to go." Machias pointed out.

"You three have clubs to go to, right?" Rean reminded them "I'm still totally undecided, so this wouldn't be a big deal at all. In fact, I can look in on a few clubs myself along the way."

"Well, if you really don't mind..." Elliot began to agree.

"Thank you." Gaius said.

"Yeah, thanks Rean." Machias echoed the sentiment.

"The Student Council room is in the Student Union building next door, at the end of the hall on the second floor." Sara informed the teen then. "It's open until quite late, so there's no rush." She assured him. "Thank you my dear! I leave everything in your capable hands!" And with that, she left again.

"Uhh...okay..." Rean was a little mystified by how quickly she had left, and by her wording. 'Why do I not like the way she emphasized everything in that sentence?' He wondered to himself.

Machias, Gaius and Elliot soon followed after, leaving the classroom after thanking Rean one more time. And once they were gone, Rean got out of his desk and made for the door himself. Ony, as he did, Fie stood up and followed after him.

"Yeah Fie, what's up?" He regarded her as he looked back to see her.

"Coming with." Was her short and to the point response.

"Alright then."

* * *

Rean and Fie stood in front of the Student Union building, moments away from entering the it, when the sound of a voice got them to turn around.

"Hey there, Reanie." Crow greeted, as he came to a stop before the two teens, dropping a brown drawstring sack he had been carrying at his feet as he did.

"Reanie?" Rean nearly cringed at that nick name. "Please don't call me that."

"No prob." Crow agreed to that without a second of thought. "So, how's it going? Looks like the two of you worked things out."

"Yeah, thankfully." Rean said.

"No thanks to you." Fie remarked.

"Ah, I guess not. Not if you're sore with me. I was so sure my tactic would help smooth things out between you. Apparently, I was wrong. My bad." Crow accepted the fault with a grin. "So...academy life been treating you two well this past half-month?" And just like that, the white haired teen had completely changed the subject.

"As well as can be expected." Was the silver haired girl's response.

"Actually, yeah. " Rean replied. "It may not be easy, but I'm managing. Mostly. Though, I have a feeling it's only going to get harder from here on out."

"Haha. Of course it will." The bandanna wearing teen confirmed with mirth. "Your class is going to be more intense than the others too. But you guys just hang in there, okay?"

Fie failed to reply.

"We will." Rean assured him.

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot to ask you this when we first met. Wanna see a cool trick I've been practicing?" Crow said out of the blue.

"I immediately have a bad feeling about this...but, alright." Rean agreed.

"Cool. So, got a fifty mira coin I can borrow?" The second year inquired.

"Yeah, sure." Rean told him, as he pulled the coin out of one of his pockets.

"Cheers." Crow said as he took it. "All right, watch closely." He forewarned.

With that, he proceeded to flip the coin high into the air, and as it flipped continuously and began to come back down, he reached up to grab it with both arms crossed, doing so in an x formation. "Now!" Crow exclaimed. "Which hand is the coin in? Left or right?"

"It's in the bag at your feet." Fie answered unceremoniously with a yawn.

"Wait, really?"

Crow nearly fell over at this. "H-Hey! Come on now! You can't just go around spoiling stuff like that!" Complained the white haired teen, vexed by the younger girl's actions.

"Get better at it then." She responds.

"You've got yourself a sharp one there Rean." Crow said with a chuckle. "Anyway, keep up the good work man. You're gonna need to be pretty tough to get through a year with Sara as your instructor." He apprised, as he picked the bang up and slung it over his shoulder. "See you two around, have a good weekend."

With that, the eighteen year old walked away.

"Wait, my fifty mira..." Rean began to call out to the older teen, but cut himself off. "He got me." He admitted with a sigh. "Is that guy going to make me look like a jackass in front of you every time I see him?" He queried Fie as he looked to her.

"He didn't make you look like a jackass." She reassured him. "Just gullible."

Rean just sighed in defeat and hung his head at that.

* * *

After picking up what Sara needed from the Student Council room, Class VII's student notebooks as it turned out, which were very different from the other students as they pertained to their different course work and their special battle orbments, and being treated to dinner by Towa, Rean and Fie left the Student Union building and stopped at the school courtyard to take a rest on one of the benches. Why? Because there was no rush to get back to the dorm, it was rather close to dusk, but they still had a bit of time, besides, they just found out that their Instructor had not only dumped some of her work on Towa, the Student Council President, but had also signed them up, the entirety of Class VII, without their permission or even notifying them that she had, to shoulder some of the burden the Student Council was saddled with.

And Towa seemed so swamped that Rean just couldn't help but agree, despite the fact that the rest of the class, excluding Fie, knew nothing about it. Which meant it would be just him doing work for the Student Council tomorrow.

"I could help you out, ya know." Fie reminded Rean.

"Nah, I got it. Besides, I want you to spend tomorrow figuring out what club you want to join, alright?" The older of the two told the younger one.

"...Fine." Fie finally gave in.

It was at that point that the raven haired boy's ARCUS began ringing, so pulling it from his pouch that held it, that they had all received a few days ago, he flipped it open and answered the call. "Hello, this is Rean Schwarzer speaking."

"Guten Tag, my favorite little Wunderkind!" Sara greeted. "I heard you had a little dinner date with the Student Council president and little Fie, at the same time. Ooh la la!" She teased.

"Shut up Sara." Fie shot back, as she had overheard that.

Rean simply sighed. "If this is how you treat your 'favorite little Wunderkind', I dread to think how you'd treat people you don't like..." He really did, that was no lie. "Would you care to explain why you've been signing me up for things behind my back?" He questioned.

"I'll skip the details for now, but it's got something to do with the other part of your curriculum that I'l be announcing next week. I thought'd it be a good chance for one of you to do a little rehearsal before the main event. And since the Student Council truly is busy, I figured, why not kill two birds with one stone?" The instructor expounded. "A fine plan, if I do say so myself."

"I have a feeling half the reason they're as busy as they are is because of certain Instructors...but all right, I'm happy to play along." Rean capitulated. "Basically, you just want me to spend my free day tomorrow helping out the Student Council, right?"

"Oh, that's entirely up to you." She told him. "If there's a club you're interested in joining, far be it from me to force you away from it."

"No, to be honest, I still haven't found one that really clicks with me, so that won't be a problem. Though, I do have one question for you..."

* * *

After finishing talking with Sara, Rean and Fie headed back to the dorm. Once there, they were surprised to see everyone downstairs on the first floor, sitting at the table that was supposed to be for meals, but no one had actually used as such, as they either ate out at Kirsche's or in the cafeteria. Besides Sara, literally the rest of the class, as even Machias and Jusis were there, despite it meaning they had to be within close proximity to one and other, was there. Why? As it turned out, they were trying to figure out what the practical exam would entail, as well as how to...well, survive it. After all, they had all seen the monstrous strength Sara possessed, and if the exam was anything like that little test of might, needless to say, they were completely screwed, every single one of them. Even joining forces and attacking her all at once seemed a fool's errand, so they were just plain stumped.

All of their eyes left one and other though, as the two teens entered the dorm, and focused in on the seventeen year old and fifteen year old in question. As to why, well, they had just walked into the building together. And it wasn't the first time either. It didn't help matters that they were almost always the last to return, and they literally always returned together. Not to mention all the time the two seemed to spend together...it was, for a lack of a more appropriate word, kind of suspicious. And seeing them walk in together like that, yet again, seemed to connect all the instances in the other teens heads.

"What?" Rean questioned immediately, as he realized all eyes were on him and Fie.

"Why do you two always do that?" Alisa inquired.

"Do what?" Fie queried, sounding a little more bored than usual.

"That. Walk in together, almost shoulder to shoulder." Emma specified.

"You two do it every time you return to the dormitory." Laura specified further.

"Habit, I guess?" Rean suggested meekly, to which Fie nodded in affirmation.

They group let it drop for the moment, as the two joined them at the table and began helping them try and brainstorm on the matter of the practical exam.

After a few minutes though, Rean remembered that the errand Sara wanted done, wasn't technically completed yet. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Rean spoke, getting the others attention. "Fie and I picked up everyone's student notebooks from the Student Council." He told them, pulling them out and beginning to hand them to each of them.

Thanking them, the seven checked their's out a little before closing them.

"Here's your's Fie." Rean said as he handed it to her.

"Thanks." She thanked him, in spite of the fact that she had gone with him to get it.

"Why were you guys the ones to hand these out?" Machias questioned then.

"Yeah, wouldn't that be something for the instructor to do?" Elliot wondered.

"You're forgetting who our instructor is." Jusis said to that.

"He's got a point." Fie added. "Sara's the type to push her work off onto others if the chance to do so presents itself. Just as long as they're semi-willing." She explained.

"She probably has-" Before Emma could finish her statement, Alisa piped up again. "See, right there, you two have literally been holding hands for almost a minute now."

That's when the raven haired and silver haired teens realized, that when the former had held out the student notebook and the latter had reached out to take it, neither had pulled back. So they were basically holding hands, just with a school issued notebook in between.

Pulling his hand back quickly, a blush staining his cheeks, Rean apologized to the younger girl. To which she brushed off with an it's fine.

"See, you two are always doing things like that." Alisa pointed out. "Most aren't as awkward, but they still happen. You two always leave the dorm together, and you two always return together. You always gravitate toward one and other every time we're participating in a group activity, and you're the only ones who can link up with their ARCUS units without even trying. Not to mention your little conversations that no one else can figure out what you're talking about. Just what is it with you two!?"

"She has a point. You two are awfully friendly with one and other, considering you've only known each other half a month." Jusis voiced his opinion.

"You know, now that I think about it, she does act a bit different around him. Like she's...at ease or something." Machias said then.

"Now that you mention it, Fie is quite a bit more talkative when Rean is around. You can hardly get her to utter four words otherwise." Emma mentioned.

"Maybe they just have good chemistry?" Elliot offered with a chuckle.

"I'd say it's more than that." Gaius commented. "It's almost as if they were..."

"A couple." Machias finished for the taller boy. "But that couldn't be possible, it's been like two weeks! Who starts a relationship in that amount of time!?"

"It wouldn't do anyone any good rushing into a romantic relationship like that." Emma opined.

"Is there something you two aren't telling us?" Laura inquired.

"A couple? W-Wh-Wha-no, it's, uh, it's nothing like that." Rean denied immediately, face crimson with the blush he was sporting. "W-We're just childhood friends is a-all." He attempted to explain.

He received rather disbelieving glances from the others at that.

"It's true." Fie confirmed his story, doing her best not to pay any mind to her blood colored cheeks, ignoring the flush of her face as much as she possibly could. "We first met eight years ago, in Ymir." She elaborated a little.

While it lessened the degree of disbelief in their eyes, it was clear it would take a lot more than that to get the seven to believe them.

'It's gonna be a long night...' Rean thought to himself.

* * *

 **4/18 - Sunday**

After his morning routine was complete, and he had stopped in to help Elliot unpack some boxes that his sister sent him, Rean stopped by Class VII's dorm mailboxes. Where he found, as Towa had said, a list of requests. There weren't many, only three. One from a first-year student named Colette, who had misplaced her student notebook and was requesting assistance in searching for it. Another from George, who needed someone to deliver a bunch of orbal tech he had finished repairing. And the third and last one was from Principal Vandyck himself, and he wanted for any member of Class VII that was willing to investigate the old schoolhouse, as he had reason to believe strange phenomena were occurring in it of late, to...well, investigate. After coming to talk to him for more information first, of course.

"One from the principal, one from the Engineering Club, and, oh, hey, one from another first year." Rean noted the requests to himself. "I certainly wasn't expecting a request from the principal as one of my very first assignments! I hope I don't screw it up." He said to himself. "I'm curious about that one from the Engineering Club too. Sounds interesting." He remarked. "Well, I've got all day, so...I'll just dive in I guess."

...

After stopping to have coffee and tea and just chat with Machias, and running into a peculiarly laid-back second-year upper class student, named Kenneth Lakelord, who gave him a fishing rod and a book to take notes in regarding to any and all fish he caught and encouraged him to start fishing for himself, he went on to meet up with Colette in the cafeteria. There she explained the situation, that she had lost it the day before and failed to notice until she tried to checkout a book from the library, and that she had come directly from the main building when she did, and that she had it before she left. That narrowed down the search area, so they split up and got to work.

Eventually, Rean found it on one of the sofas in the rest area on the second floor of the main building and returned it to it's owner. She thanked him, and after he gave her a little advice on where to keep her notebook so she didn't lose it again, he moved on to the next task.

...

Checking in with George, Rean got the run down on what he needed to do. Too busy to do it himself, which he usually wasn't, George needed him to deliver three pieces of orbment technology that he had fixed to their owners. The first was an orbal scale, which he took to Nicholas in the cooking club, he was actually the head of it, in the home economics room. The second was an antique orbal lamp, which he gave to Micht at his pawnshop, where he got a pack of cards for a game called Blade, in return. Apparently no one wanted to buy them and he needed to dump them on someone to get them off his hands, Rean was just in the right place, at the right time. The third was an orbal wristwatch, which he returned to Michael at the Radio Trista building, and found out that the station was going to be running a new show tonight at the same time.

With all three items returned to their proper owners, the grey-tinted fuschia eyed teen went back to the Engineering Building to report to George. As thanks for making the deliveries for him, the older teen gave him an orbal radio as payment, the latest model too. Rean tried to refuse, but his senior insisted, so he accepted it. Now he would be able to actually tune in to that new show he had heard from Michael was starting tonight. George informed him of one last thing before he was off again, and that was that he'd be taking care of all the maintenence Class VII required on their ARCUS units.

...

With only one task left, Rean went to see the principal, after stopping by the gym and timing Laura as she swam laps, and just generally conversing with her, in an attempt to get to know her better. There the much older man expounded the situation with the old schoolhouse, how it had always been strange and a nest for odd creatures, the gargoyle they had fought being the main one they had seen so far, and that, eventually, it would regenerate itself to what it once was, as a statue. It always came back. And that, besides that, there were reports of disembodied voices and appearances of strange doors, from years back in fact. It was a conundrum that just had to be investigated. The principal wished for members of Class VII be the ones to do so, given their recent experience with it, and to report if any changes had occurred to it in any way. Then, he presented him with the key to the old schoolhouse, which would allow him to access the dilapidated building, wished him good luck and told him to be safe in his investigation.

Which was why Rean now stood just outside the decrepit building, at the edge of the steps, ARCUS unit in hand as he prepared to call for backup.

* * *

As the doors closed behind them, the group of four let their eyes wander the same room they had been in just a little over two weeks ago, where they first truly introduced themselves to the rest of their classmates.

"I can't believe we're coming back in here again..." Elliot lamented aloud. "I-I really don't think this is a good idea..."

"Well...that's because it probably isn't. And none of us would blame you one bit if you turned back. It's not too late." Rean reminded the younger teen.

"I would." Fie interjected.

"Fie..." Rean began, but there was no need. "I was just kidding." She assured.

"N-No, thanks, I'll come with you. We've got that practical exam next week, after all." Elliot reasoned. "I need to familiarize myself with this orbal staff as much as possible before then. Besides, if I turned back, I'd just wind up worrying myself sick about the three of you." He admitted.

"Well, that's very kind. Thank you." Rean told him.

"There are four of us, but that doesn't mean we won't have to be cautious and proceed carefully." Gaius warned the others. "The underground area should be just through the main door, correct?" He went on to ask.

"Yeah. That should take us right to the room where we fought that stone gargoyle." Rean answered him. "Best to go that way rather than falling through the trap door again..."

"No arguments here." Elliot concurred. "I-I hope that thing hasn't regenerated yet though."

With that, the four walked through the double doors that would lead to the same room they had done battle with that stone gargoyle in. Only...

"Well, at least that monster isn't here anymore, from the looks of it. And it doesn't look like we've got any more creepy statues ready to come to life either." Elliot observed. "Wait...did it always look like this in here?"

"No. This room's definitely smaller than it was the last time we were here." Rean stated.

"H-How is that possible?" The orange haired teen questioned

"I'd say it's about half the size, maybe even less." The dark brown haired boy commented.

"Less." The silver haired fifteen year old confirmed.

"And there are things that weren't here previously." Gaius added.

"Like...that door?" Elliot said hesitantly, looking toward said double door below as he did. "I don't remember there being a door there last time."

"I don't remember there being one either. But at this point, I'm not sure what to believe anymore..." Rean confessed.

"Strange as though it may be, we should go and get a closer look at it. This is essentially why we came, after all." Gaius reminded them.

So, the group of four descended the steps and moved to the second set of double doors. Passing through them, they quickly found themselves in...a dungeon, which looked similar, had a completely different layout than the one they had traversed before.

"Unbelievable..." Gaius voiced his disbelief.

"This isn't even the same place!" Elliot exclaimed. "I don't remember passing through an area like this at all!"

"I don't either. Because we didn't." Rean stated matter-of-factly. "The entire layout down here has changed completely."

"H-How...?" Elliot couldn't even finish the question.

"I can sense new types of monsters here too." Gaius cautioned. "What do you think we should do, Rean?"

"The principal sent us down here to investigate these mysterious changes, and that's exactly what we're going to do." Rean told them. "Now that we've seen just how major these changes are, there's no way we can go back empty-handed." He opined. "We should head in as far as we're able."

"Here we go then." Elliot said with a defeated sigh.

"May the Goddess be with us." Gaius hoped for the best.

"This won't be as hard as you're making it out to be." Fie reassured.

"All right, let's do this!" Rean proclaimed.

...

In just a few short hours, if that, the four managed to reach, what appeared to be, the end of the dungeon. Passing through strange double doors that slid open on their own, the teens came into a rather large, oddly shaped room with pillars located in several places, but otherwise was a complete, empty dead end.

"That...wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, actually." Elliot admitted aloud.

"I concur. And I believe it has something to do with these combat links we're using." Gaius suggested.

"Definitely." Rean also agreed. "They made every battle we've had down here a breeze."

"We've still got one more before we're done " Fie said, alerting the other three to the new presence appearing.

From a small vortex of blue, purple and white light, a nearly eight foot, sasquatch crossed with troll looking beast appeared, with a almost tree trunk thick limbs, a small, short tail and horns atop it's head. Magenta colored claws on it's hands and feet, as well as horns, reddish brown fur covered legs, and sickly grey flesh that looked as tough as stone, the creature certainly wasn't winning any beauty contests.

"Ah, another one!" Elliot exclaimed in shock.

"Looks like we've got another monster to slay. " Gaius commented.

"Let's see just how easy this one goes down." Fie remarked.

"Go!" Rean commanded.

...

As the beast dropped dead, face planting on the floor, it began to shake and tremble, before being engulfed in a swirl of dark purple energy, proceeding to vanish along with the energy a few moments later.

"I stand corrected, cause that was kind of tough." Elliot stated, panting a bit as he did.

"No, it really wasn't." Fie contradicted his statement.

"We probably would have had a harder time with the creature, if we didn't have these combat links. They really do make combat less difficult." Gaius asserted.

"Totally. I mean, it feels like the ARCUS has practically synchronized my breathing with the three of you!" Rean exclaimed.

"That's a good way to put it. It's a strange feeling...but not a bad one." Gaius disclosed.

"If I'm remembering what Sara said correctly, we should try and keep only two people linked together at a time. At least until we get more experienced with our ARCUS units." Fie mentioned.

"Oh, right. Almost forgot about that." Elliot admitted.

"We'll make sure to abide by that next time." Rean assured.

The four let their eyes wander then, their irises moving about the room, searching for anything of interest. Nothing even remotely close to that was found.

"Well, since this seems to be the end, and there are no other routes for us to take, I'd say we're done down here. We should head back outside." Rean declared.

"O-Okay." Elliot agreed.

"As long as the path we took to get here hasn't suddenly shifted on us, we should have no trouble finding our way back." Gaius observed.

"Let's get going then." Fie said.

* * *

After returning to the entrance, having done so through a pedestal that literally teleported them there, yeah, no kidding, they went to the principal's office to report on their findings. Sara and Vandyck were more than a little surprised to hear of the severity of the changes, and after informing them of the building's origins of the Dark Age, tasked them with continuing their investigation every free day. Though, it was actually Sara that did so, and in doing so, also saddled Rean with being the Student Council's errand boy on every free day, accomplishing this by speaking of just how overburdened little Towa was with all the work that was to be done. In the same vein, Rean was allowed to hold on to the old schoolhouse key, and was given permission to use the building at any time, for the investigation or otherwise.

Not long after that, Rean found his way to the the field, where he came across Alisa, who was on cleanup duty for the club she was a part of, the Lacrosse club. Another girl, a noble by the name of Ferris, was supposed to help, but had skipped out on her. So, he offered to assist in the girl's place. The bonde accepted, and the two cleaned up all the equipment, carrying on a pleasant conversation all the while.

Once that was done, Rean stopped by the Student Council room, after talking to Fie in the school courtyard and telling her the benches out in the middle of the open weren't a very good place to sleep. There he spoke with Towa, she thanked him for his hard work, and he ended up helping her out once more, as she was quite evidently drowning in her paperwork. That took a bit, but once it was done, she treated him to some tea and they had an exchange, where she warned him not overwork himself. He thanked her in turn, and she offered him the chance to come by anytime he was feeling overworked and stressed, and she would make him some nice, relaxing tea and they would talk things over.

Then, after a quick dinner in the cafeteria, he headed back to the dorm. And by the time he got there, everyone had adjourned to their rooms, so he did the same.

"Whew...what a day." He remarked to himself, as he removed his blazer and tie. Putting them away, he looked toward his desk and sighed. "Better do some studying before bed. After all, it sounds like this is going to be a busy week, what with the ominous 'practical exam' looming over us." He spoke to himself, as he moved to get everything ready to study. 'Though I doubt it could be worse than the combat practice we had today.' He thought to himself.

Noticing the orbal radio George had given him out of the corner of his eyes, Rean came to a decision. "Might as well listen to that new show while I'm studying." So he went over and turned the contraption on, before moving over to his desk, opening a notebook, a textbook and taking hold of a pencil.

"It's nine PM and you're listening to Radio Trista." Came a unique feminine voice over the radio. "Welcome, welcome. Don't touch that dial listeners, you've found the right place to be tonight. It's time for the start of a brand new program here on Radio Trista, coming at your promptly every Sunday! I call it 'Abend Time,' after the word for 'evening'." She elucidated. "Might be a little cliched, but sometimes, simple is best right? Cliches are cliches for a reason, after all! Anyway, my name is Misty, and I'll be your host."

* * *

END NOTE: I know, I know, another boss skipped over. Don't worry, the real fun begins next chapter, at least I think so. As full battles will soon come into play, as will bigger changes. So, stay tuned.


	4. Unconventional Studies

Apex85: Well, I didn't plan it to be an interrogation about being a couple. Just an interrogation as to why, even though, as far as the rest of the class was aware, they had only known each other for half a month and were so friendly with one and other. Two people being together constantly like that, when they're supposed to be little more than strangers, is kind of weird, ya know? Seeing it day in and day out every single day, you'd really start to wonder. Regardless, it seems it came off that way, so I concede that perhaps I should have waited a little longer. But, it made sense to me, so I stand by it. Things just kind of came out that way during the writing of the scene, I guess. My bad, I suppose.

Eh, I could've seen it going one of those ways. And I definitely think she'd do something to get him back, and rest assured, she will do something to get him back. But it just didn't come out that way when I wrote it, so I'll save her retaliation for later.

Oh, lucky you then, cause I'll give it to you right now. Laura came in first, Fie was second, Rean was third, Jusis and Gaius were tied for fourth, Machias was fifth, Alisa was sixth, Emma was seventh, and Elliot was eighth, making him the weakest.

Yeah, I actually really loved that part too. Writing it and reading it. I had thought about using Machias or someone else, but I felt it'd work best with Jusis, so...yeah, I went with him. As for my mistake with the feet thing, well, technically, none of the characters said feet. So...it's not technically a mistake. It was to describe it. When I have characters speak of distance, I will use the measurement system from Trails. As to why I didn't use it in the plain writing, I only have a rough grasp on how their measurement system works. Like, if I'm inferring correctly, I believe two arge is about six or seven feet, right? If I'm wrong, please correct me.

GeassKing101: You bet your ass I'm a Rean X Fie fan. That is the only couple for me in this whole damn game universe that is Legend of Heroes. My one exception is Rean X Harem, which Fie must be in to even count. Some people might not like that or give me flak for it, but I don't care.

RedBurningDragon: I suppose. And perhaps it could give me some good ideas for moves, so, yeah, I'll probably pick up a copy of one of the entries, or at least look it up on Youtube. We'll just have to see how it goes and whatnot. Good, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

jamesb497: Thank you, I'm glad you think so. Good, and here's the next one.

8Swords: Not a bad suggestion at all. I'll most definitely try it out.

Hey, who knows, could happen, I haven't decided yet.

As the story goes on, I do intend to flesh out the characters as much as possible. We'll just see where it goes, ya know? Though that's not a bad idea for Gaius, perhaps I'll use that...who knows?

All I'll say on the matter is Rean will learn to control his demon form, and when he does, unlike in the game at times, he will be a force to be truly reckoned with. Beside that, he will grow stronger on his own merit as well.

I appreciate your knowledge on the German language, and while I can't guarantee it'll pop up too much, I can promise Sara will still use it to certain degrees throughout the story. Also, thank you. :)

ZealousSiren: They are, aren't they? The field studies are going to have different groupings, and I've already got them drawn up in my notes, so, you shall see how that works soon. No problem at all, I enjoyed the chapter, so I reviewed, simple as that. Yes, yes we do. Let us do our absolute best to do so, my friend. :)

Jose19: Is that so? Alright, find it amusing, I don't care. Laura huh? Yeah, I'll admit, she's one of my favorites too. Fie is my absolute favorite, then Sara. Millium, Sharon and Altina too, all tied or close to it, then Laura, then Claire, Elise and Towa, followed by Emma, with Alisa pulling up the rear. And...why did I just, ah forget it. Moving on.

Tsyne-Oblivion: I'm glad you love it. Don't know if Alisa is jealous per se, more like that just kind of struck me as something she would go on about, since she is becoming friends with them, and it is weird for supposed strangers to be so close. But hey, if that's the way you see it, go right ahead, don't let me stop you man. Though, there is a chance jealousy could be shown later, I mean, who knows? Rean is quite the ladies man when you think about it. As for other ships, or pairings, I don't know. It just depends really. Depends on what? If I feel like they go well together, or belong together, etc. You be you guy, if that means acting like Munk, right on. Besides, Munk is cool anyway. :P

Once more, thanks to all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update. Apex85, jamesb497 and TheCrimsonGhost309, thank you!

Before we get into it, I had said the first real battle would be in this chapter. I was wrong, it will be in the next one. I had projected it to go here, hell, I had projected to wrap the whole field study up, but I decided to push it back to the next one. Sorry about that!

Alright, let's start. Part two of chapter one is here. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT I - CHAPTER I - PART II**_

 _ **...**_

 **Septian Calendar 1204**  
 **4/21 - Wednesday**

It was time, the practical exam had come. So the entirety of Class VII was gathered at the academy field.

"Okay! Let's get your practical exam started, shall we?" Sara began enthusiastically. "To be completely clear from the outset, this exam is about more than just testing your physical strength and stamina. I already have a fair idea on where you all stand there. It's designed to hone in on how capable you are of making strategic combat decisions on the fly, and more importantly, to properly acquaint you with each other's fighting styles." She explicated. "Defeating your opponent quickly is a good thing, certainly...but it won't be enough to score you high marks here!" She clarified.

"Hmph. Interesting." Jusis commented.

"Acquaint us with each other's fighting styles?" Alisa repeated. "That would mean we'll be fighting together, or..."

"Against each other, correct! Someone give this girl a gold star!" Sara exclaimed.

"What good is that going to do us, exactly?" Elliot inquired.

"I suppose learning through experience is the method she intends to use." Gaius reasoned.

"By having us fight one and other, we'll have to learn through the act of combat how our classmates maneuver. And in doing such, this will allow us to gain intimate knowledge of how they do battle, which will be invaluable in a team skirmish." Laura expounded her understanding of the matter. "It's a viable, even an efficient, method."

"Exacty." Sara confirmed Laura's words. "That's why although some of you have become friends, a certain few of you closer than others..." She pointedly gazed at Rean and Fie as she said this, to let them know she was specifying them. "...you can't hold back, even in the slightest. As it'll only end up hurting you in the end." She explained. "You will have to come at each other with everything you have, in order to get the most out of this exercise. Along those lines, this is more to benefit all of you than anything else, but I will still be grading your performance, so it falls under the exam parameters."

'So we'll all be fighting each other..." Rean thought to himself. 'I wonder who I'll be going up against.'

"I see. So then, how do we decide the matchups?" Machias queried.

The Instructor proceeded to answer. "As I've already said, this isn't really to test your physical capabilities. The matchups reflect that. But rather, if you can think on your feet and use strategy to overcome those more powerful than yourself, as well as to, of course, get you to know the workings of each other's fighting styles. So with that in mind, and taking into account certain matters among you, the pairings are as follows. The first round will be Alisa versus Emma."

"Number six versus number seven huh? I suppose that makes sense." Emma remarked, referring to her and Alisa's rankings among the class for overall combat ability.

"So it will be a completely ranged battle then." Alisa said to herself, already thinking about how that could potentially play out.

"The second round will be Machias versus Jusis." The jovial twenty something continued.

Jusis scoffed at this. "Of course."

"Looks like I'll finally get to knock you down a peg or two." Machias jabbed, to no reaction

"The third round will be Laura versus Gaius and Elliot." The pink haired instructor informed.

"I see. Then, I wish the two of you luck." Laura said pleasantly.

"Likewise." Gaius shared the swordwoman's sentiment.

"To be honest, I don't know that even the two of us together can beat you." Elliot admitted with a chuckle.

"And the fourth and final round will be Rean versus Fie." The yellow eyed female finished.

"Ahahaha, of course, I get the absolute worst opponent for me." Rean opined sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

Fie didn't vocalize her feelings on the matter, simply looking toward her childhood friend for a few moments, before returning her gaze to Sara.

"Okay then, let's get started!"

...

"Not bad, not bad at all." Sara told the two girls, clapping a little as she did. "The victory goes to you Alisa."

"You certainly didn't make it easy for me." Alisa complimented, as she put away her bow.

"Thanks." Emma acknowledged her praise, lowering her orbal staff as she did. "I'd say it wasn't easy for me either, but I'm sure you already know that." She joked with a giggle.

"Onto the next one!"

...

"Well, this is clear cut, no room for interpretation. Jusis is the victor." Sara announced.

Down on his knees, the blade of Jusis's saber pressed against the side of his neck, Machias could only glare daggers at the noble, panting as he did. Jusis met the brash bespectacled teen's intense glare with a pointed look of triumph, panting just as he was.

"Time for round three!"

...

"Yeah, I was pretty sure this is how it'd turn out. Laura is victorious." Sara stated.

"That was a good battle. You two put up an admirable fight." Laura commended the two, as she put away her bastard sword.

"Thank you, we appreciate that." Gaius replied with gratitude, breathing a little heavily as he did, as he too put away his weapon.

"Yeah, thanks." Elliot affirmed their gratitude between his panting, near exhausted by that little fight.

"Alright, one more to go!"

...

"And here I thought that would last longer. Oh well I guess." Sara said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Fie triumphs."

"Yeah, this ended about as expected." Rean admitted sheepishly between ragged breaths, sheathing his tachi as he did.

Fie was silent, though frowning, clearly contemplating whether or not to speak. 'He held back...why?' She couldn't help but wonder to herself. She had figured he'd hold back a little, even expected it, everything considered. But the difference between the power she felt from him and that of which he had just demonstrated was, while not a huge gap, would have been enough to even the playing field considerably. Admittedly, she had held back as well, but only her special techniques. Excluding those, she came at him with all she had. 'So why?'

"Anyway, that brings this month's practical exam to an end." Sara proclaimed. "But as you might recall, I told you I had a big announcement for today too! Are you all ready to hear what it is?" She asked them with excitement. "I'll give you a hint. It's about a special part of Class VII's curriculum."

Returning her attention to Sara, Fie put away her gun swords, and fell back in line with the others, pushing that incident to the back of her mind as she did. She would deal with it later.

"Give up? Heh heh! It's really bugging you now, isn't it?" The energetic instructor queried. "Well, I'll come clean then." She told them, before clearing her throat. "The special task you're about to be assigned is none other than...a field study!"

"Field study?" Emma repeated with confusion.

"I don't like the sound of this one bit..." Machias muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You'll be split into two groups, A and B, and each sent to a different location. And while you're there, you'll be given a number of tasks to complete. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Sara questioned them. None of them could figure out if it was a rhetorical one or not.

"Er...we only just got to the academy, and we're already being sent somewhere else?" Elliot inquired with confusion.

"Will you not be coming with us, Instructor?" Rean inquired further.

"Oh, of course not! It'd be much too easy for you if I were there to bail you out every time the waters of life came seeping in. You've got to be cruel to be kind, and all that!" She explicated much too jovially for all their tastes.

Alisa just sighed at this.

"Well, I'm certainly not opposed to a challenge if it allows me to advance my training." Laura remarked.

"Instructor Valestein. Where, exactly, will we be going? And when?" Jusis queried.

"Ah, yes, about that." Sara began. "As I said, you'll be split into group A and group B. Each of you, please come forward and take one of these to see how the groups have been divided, and where each is being sent." She instructed them, as she held out envelopes for them to take.

They did as she said, taking the envelopes and opening them up, reading the papers within them after they did. Which disclosed where they would be going, Group A to Celdic, and Group B to Parm. As well as who made up groups A and B. Group A consisted of Rean, Fie, Laura, Gaius and Elliot, while Group B was made up of Machias, Jusis, Emma and Alisa.

"Well, these are certainly some interesting groupings." Laura voiced her opinion.

"Celdic and Parm...are they both in Erebonia?" Gaius queried.

"Yeah, Celdic's a market town on the east side of the Empire." Elliot answered him.

"And Parm is situated in the deep south, it's known for it's spinners." Emma informed.

"Fie and I are in the same group huh? Well, that's nice at least." Rean said to himself quietly.

"Well, at least we won't be going far." Fie commented.

"I'm less worried about where we're going than the utter lack of sense that went into these groupings!" Machias voiced his aggravation. "I mean, are you high!? Why the hell would you ever put that pompous snob and I in the same group!?" The hotheaded teen demanded to know.

"Unbelievable..." Jusis sighed heavily, ignoring his fellow teen's words.

Sara did the same, as she went on to say, "You'll be leaving this weekend, and will be out in the field for two days time. Your means of reaching your respective locations will, of course, be by train. So do make sure you're thoroughly prepared, and raring to go before the big day!"

* * *

 **4/24 - Saturday**

"Ah, good morning everyone!" Emma greeted pleasantly, as Group A entered the train station, where Group B was already waiting.

"Good morning." Rean returned the greeting.

"Looks like you guys are already good to go." Gaius noted.

"Yes. Parm is quite a distance from here though, so we're not likely to arrive before evening." The bespectacled girl stated.

"Hmm...considering its relative location, that seems to be an accurate estimate." Laura commented.

"I guess it is the southernmost town in Erebonia. Makes you realize just how big the Empire is." Elliot remarked. "But...umm..."

"They're still at it." Gaius observed.

And indeed they were, both Machias and Jusis stubbornly looking away from the other, their backs to each other, almost like two toddlers giving one and other the silent treatment.

"Have they been like this the entire time?" Rean inquired.

"I'm afraid so." Alisa answered with a sigh.

"I think we may have underestimated how deeply rooted their differences are." The brunette added.

"That might be an understatement." The tallest of them said.

"You'd think that battle they had would've absolved some of the animosity between them, but, if anything, it only seems to have exacerbated the situation." The blonde girl explicated.

"I'm not even in the same group, and I'm already sick of'em." Fie gave her two cents on the matter.

"Passenger service bound for...Heimdallr...now arriving on platform two. We ask that all customers utilizing this service please wait on the platform until the train has come to a complete stop." Came a voice over the intercom suddenly, announcing the imminent arrival of the next train.

"Hmph." That was all the vocalization from Jusis, before he walked away from the others, heading for the train platform.

"Time to go." Machias informed the others, before doing the same.

"Well, best of luck. Though here's hoping you don't need it." The raven haired seventeen year old bid them luck.

"Getting those two to work together sure doesn't seem like it'll be an easy task." The orange haired sixteen year old added.

"We'll do what we can. But we can't make any promises." Alisa replied with another sigh.

"Good luck to all of you. Please take care." Laura bid them goodbye.

"Later." Was Fie's simple farewell.

"Yeah, see you guys soon." Emma returned the sentiment.

The two remaining members of Group B walked away then, following after their two other members.

"I wonder if they'll be okay..." The shy orbal staff wielder vocalized his thoughts.

"Well, Emma being with them should keep things from getting too out of hand. I'm sure Alisa will do her best to help in that regard as well." Rean reasoned. "But, it is just the two of them. They're gonna have to keep those two from fighting, while also trying to get their tasks done. So...yeah, it's definitely not an ideal situation."

"I'm concerned for them as well, but I believe we should be focusing on our own trials right now." Laura reminded.

"You're right." Rean agreed. "Let's go buy our tickets."

* * *

The five had just taken their seats, Rean, Fie and Elliot in one booth, and Laura and Gaius in the one directly adjacent from them, when the train began moving.

"Umm...so, it's about an hour to Celdic from here, right?" Elliot questioned.

"Yes, I believe so." Laura answered. "I had to change trains there when I originally came to Trista."

"You and me both." Rean commented.

"Oh yes, you're from Ymir." The swordswoman recalled. "I suppose we both know how it is to come from rather remote parts of the country."

"Yeah, I suppose we do." The dark haired boy agreed. "Anyway, as I understand it, Celdic is mostly known as a merchant town, right?" He went on to query his orange haired friend.

"Yeah, that's been their main source of tourism for some time, mostly thanks to the Grand Market." He explained.

"You know, it couldn't hurt to go over what we know about the town before we got there." Gaius put forth.

And so, they did.

...

"You know what, I'm kinda looking forward to this now!" Elliot said with excitement.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But who knows if we'll actually get to enjoy it. There's just no telling what kind of crazy stuff Instructor Sara has planned for us." Rean reminded.

"Fair point." Gaius granted.

"Boy, isn't that the truth." Elliot agreed.

"Don't know for sure, but knowing her, it'll probably be something ridiculous. Or lame. Probably both." Fie voiced her thoughts on the matter.

"I can't hazard a guess as to what this 'field study' might involve either." Laura admitted.

"We can say one thing for sure though. Being part of our curriculum, it's a safe bet it's not going to be easy." The swordsman of the group inferred.

"If it were, it would hardly be worth the trip." The reserved blue haired girl asserted. "Personally, I'm looking forward to learning the true nature of our excursion."

"I-I suppose that is a good way to look at it..." The orbal staff user conceded.

"Well, we'll find our answer when we get there. We're supposed to drop by the inn as soon as we arrive." Rean spoke on the subject. "There should be an envelope waiting for us there with details on our mission."

"It seems everything was thought of." Gaius surmised. "Lodging has been arranged for us, our instructions are awaiting pick up, and even the station employees were ready for us when we we arrived."

"Yeah, it's almost weird how everything's been so well planned out." Elliot said in the same vein.

"Well, that just goes to show how high the academy's expectations are for all of you!" Another voice interjected, getting everyone's attention on the person whom it belonged to, none other than Sara, who now stood beside them, having just entered the train-car they were in a mere moment ago.

"Whoa!" Elliot exclaimed in surprise.

"I-Instructor...?" Rean was more than a little shocked by her sudden appearance as well

"I was wondering why you were nowhere to be seen this morning." Laura commented.

"And I was wondering when you were finally going to show yourself." Fie remarked, revealing the fact that she had known their teacher was there all along.

"Aww, and here I thought I had managed without you noticing." Sara voiced her disappointment, minimal as it might be.

"I think that means she's been watching us the whole time." Gaius said.

"I've been on high alert whenever you're concerned. After all, last time you stole my grappling hook." The stoic silver haired girl retorted, clearly still just a tad sore regarding the incident. "Which you've yet to give back, by the way."

"Anywaaay..." Sara dragged the word out as she changed the subject, clearly set on ignoring that last bit about the grappling hook. "It looks like Group A's all present and accounted for. That's good."

"So, uh, what brings you here Instructor?" Rean asked. "I thought you were planning on staying back at the academy?"

"Well, considering this is your first time out in the field, I assumed you'd be positively lost without me!" The energetic woman disclosed.

"Nope." Fie just flat out denied that.

Not that it seemed to bother Sara, as she continued on as if she hadn't even heard it. "So I decided to stick around at least until you've finished checking in at the hotel."

"I see. Thank you." Gaius responded with a nod of his head.

"I, uh, I think Group B could've used your help a little more..." Elliot mentioned.

"Would it not have been better for you to accompany the others?" Laura flat out questioned.

"Aww, but they'd be a nightmare to deal with..." The pink haired instructor whined. "I may still go to them though, if those two get out of control. But, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!"

The five just sweatdropped at that.

'If you knew it would be such a problem, why'd you even put those two in the same group anyway?' The sixteen year old wondered to himself.

'I had suspected she put them together on purpose. This just about confirms it.' Rean thought to himself.

Turning away from them, the twenty something took a seat in the booth across the aisle from them. "Anyway, don't pay me any mind! You five feel free to keep talking!" She told them. "I didn't get any sleep last night, so I'm just going to take a little nap right here."

"Wait, wha-" Before Rean could even get more than three syllables out of his mouth, the instructor was out like a light.

"S-She's asleep already!?" Elliot exclaimed in disbelief.

"Incredible..." Laura muttered to herself.

"That's..uh, quite the talent." Gaius commented.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you got your sleeping habits from her Fie." Rean remarked.

Said girl in question shrugged her shoulders at that.

The conversation lulled, as they all waited out the time. Eventually, the quiet was broken, as Gaius and Elliot struck up a conversation, and Rean and Fie did the same.

"Say, Fie?" Rean began.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever been to Celdic before?" He queried. "I know you traveled a lot, so I was just wondering."

"No. A small market town like that wouldn't have had much use for a corp like Zephyr. We stuck to big cities and the occasional countryside broiled in turmoil." She answered, doing so just low enough to where, with Elliot's and Gaius's conversation going, no one besides her childhood friend could hear her. "Why?"

"Just curious." He replied.

"Hmm." She accepted his answer, before turning her head to look out the window at the scenery as it whizzed by.

Seeing she wasn't too receptive to conversation at the moment, Rean decided not to bother her further. He didn't know, of course, that he was the reason for it, as she continued to contemplate their battle from earlier. 'Why did he hold back?'

"I do wonder what, precisely, these field study trips will involve. I truly can't even fathom a guess." Laura voiced her thoughts aloud then, catching her fellow sword wielder's attention.

"Likewise." Rean said. "The weirdest part, to me, is the divide between Group A and Group B. Why were we split up and sent to different places? And most bizarrely of all, why were Machias and Jusis placed in the same group? It's like they're just asking for trouble."

"It does seem quite illogical." She acknowledged. "I can only assume there's a hidden purpose to these trips beyond what we've been told. Perhaps multiple purposes, requiring multiple groups to fulfill."

"Yeah, that's my best guess too. There has to be something going on behind the scenes here." Rean conjectured. "Which is why I wanted to ask Instructor Sara a few more questions, but...well..." The two sword users glanced over to the snoozing Sara then, and sweatdropped once again. "...I don't think she'll be doing much answering."

"Perhaps she fell asleep deliberately to avoid addressing such concerns." Laura theorized.

"Sounds about right." Fie interjected. "It's what I'd do anyway." She noticeably continued to stare out the window as she said this.

"Well, then, it seems our instructor is...quite the formidable opponent." The blue haired seventeen year old added.

"That's one way to describe her." The raven haired swordsman granted. "Guess we're just going to have to work out the meaning of these field study trips on our own."

With that, Rean gave out a sigh, before looking toward Elliot. "Hey, almost forgot I had these. I just picked them up on a whim a little while ago." The orange haired teen said, as he pulled a deck of Blade cards out of his pocket.

"Oh, you have a pack too? I just got a set of my own from the pawn shop in Trista." The raven haired seventeen year old said.

"Really? That's perfect then! How about we play a few hands? Seems like we've got some time to kill before we arrive." The sixteen year old suggested.

"Do you know the rules?" His older friend inquired.

"Yeah. They're not that complicated, so I doubt anyone here will have any trouble picking it up."

"Sounds like a good way to pass the time." Gaius put his two cents forward.

"Indeed, it seems like it could be an enjoyable diversion." Laura commented.

"Meh, could be fun." Fie said with a shrug of her shoulders, looking away from the window as she did.

"All right, let's give it a try then." Rean proposed.

...

After going over the rules real quick and playing several games, they put away the cards. By the time they had, nearly ten rounds had been played. They had all seemed to enjoy the game, even if some of them were better at it than others, Rean and Fie in particular. Once that was done, silence once again fell over the students, as they waited out their train ride.

"Now that's a pleasant sight." Gaius said suddenly, in reference to all the greenery, windmills and nature that had begun to pass by their window.

"It's beautiful." Elliot commented.

"What a spectacular view." Laura concurred. "The rye planted last fall seems almost ready for harvesting."

"Now?" Elliot questioned. "I thought rye could only be harvested in the fall."

"Well, the soil in this area is supposed to be extra fertile due to the warmer climate, so things are a little different here." Rean explained to his younger friend. "The view really is amazing though. It looks like something out of a painting."

"Guess you've been paying closer attention in class than I have." Fie remarked, having not known that herself.

"The Ministry of Railways wishes to thank all passengers for their patronage. This transcontinental train is bound for Crossbell. The next stop is...Celdic. Celdic." A female voice came over the intercom, informing them of this. "Passengers travelling to...Bareahard...please change trains at this stop."

"Looks like we're almost there." Gaius said.

"Guess I should wake Instructor Sara..." Rean said to himself.

* * *

Deboarding the train, the five teens followed after their instructor, as she led them out of the station and into what equaled out to the town square of Celdic. It was a humble looking little place, it's main attraction being it's Grand Market off to the side of the center of town, most of the residents focused around that area, while a sparse few moved about the rest of space, going about their daily lives in peace.

"Wow, so this is Celdic..." Elliot was clearly impressed with the serenity of it.

"It seems like a really relaxing little town, though there are a lot more people here than I expected." Rean disclosed.

"I imagine they've come for the Grand Market." Laura put forth. "Even merchants from other countries regularly come to see it."

"Celdic's also widely renowned for their local beer, which they make using rye." Sara apprised. "But you're all still minors, so I'm the only one here who gets to drink it!" The glee she took in that simple fact was just a little ridiculous.

The sweatdrop the five students shared showed they thought as much.

"And there it is, the real reason why she came with us." Fie vocalized her comprehension.

"Are you...actually trying to make us jealous?" Rean inquired with a tad of incredulity.

"Anyway! Let me show you to the inn." Sara ignored her so called wunderkind's question. "It's, uh, right over there." She pointed out, beginning to lead them over to it.

The five followed their teacher as she led them to their lodgings. Meanwhile, not far from the group of six, a man with long, violet hair and a flamboyant white getup, with accents of a few other bright colors, watched them.

...

As the six entered the inn, known as Weathercock inn, the five teens took a moment to look around, as their educator walked up to a woman at the counter.

Said woman appeared to be forty years of age, had light skin, brown hair tied up in a medium-size bun and brown eyes. The clothes she wore consisted of a simple mid-sleeve shirt, long skirt and an apron over it all.

"Hey there Margot." Sara greeted, as she came to a stop.

Noticing the pink haired woman's presence, the woman at the counter turned to Sara, a smile crossing her face as she did. "Well, if it isn't Sara! What are you doing here? I was only expecting the kids." The woman known as Margot greeted in turn.

"Oh, I just figured I'd help them get settled in before I left." The jovial twenty something elaborated. "I had to do at least that much for my lovely students!"

"Well now, aren't they a youthful looking bunch!" Margot exclaimed, as she noticed the five in question, as they came closer to the counter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. We're first-year students from Thors Military Academy, Class VII. I'm Rean." Rean introduced himself.

"I'm Gaius Worzel. Thank you for allowing us to board here." Gaius expressed his gratitude.

"The pleasure's all mine, I assure you. I'm Margot, the owner of this humble establishment." Margot introduced herself in turn. "Sara here has taken care of all your arrangements." She informed them. "Come, I'll show you to your room."

"Th-Thank you Ma'am." Elliot said with a nod of his head.

"Much obliged." Laura said in the same vein.

Fie merely nodded her head in agreement with the others words of gratitude.

They proceeded to follow her to the staircase and ascend it after her.

"I'll leave you to it then!" Sara exclaimed, before turning toward a young waitress and calling out, "Hey Louise, can I get some beer and snacks?"

"I'll bring them right over!" The young, light skinned, long red haired woman called back. "You do know it's not even noon though, right?"

...

Once on the second floor, Margot came to a stop at the third door, the teenagers following her doing the same.

"This is the room you're all going to be staying in tonight." The woman told them, opening the door as she did, so they could see inside the room.

It was spacious enough, containing a large, L shaped comfy looking couch, a single desk with three drawers, two night stands and five single beds, two against one wall, and two against, not the opposing wall, but the one beside it.

"Wait...we're all...?" Elliot trailed off.

"Yeah, this is..." Rean started as well, all of them realizing immediately this meant they would all be sharing a room.

"More than enough space for our needs. Thank you very much." Laura finished for the two boys.

"B-But there are five beds, wh-which means..." Elliot continued.

"We'll all be sleeping in the same room." Gaius completed his younger friend's sentence.

"I have my doubts about this, I'll admit." Margot disclosed. "But Sara insisted, so that was that!" She divulged. "I broke the beds into a group of three, and a group of two, but that was about the best I could manage."

"Who cares?" Fie asserted.

"We are military students. We mustn't allow the prospect of mixed-gender accommodations to faze us." The well spoken blue haired girl added.

"She has a point." Gaius granted, clearly taking this the best out of the three guys.

"I don't have a problem with it personally. So if no one else does...I guess it's fine." The timid sixteen year old remarked.

"Yeah, I, uh, I suppose you're right." The dark haired swordsman conceded.

"Why're you so nervous? We've shared a room before." The silver haired fifteen year old mentioned.

The looks they received at that comment, from Margot in particular, well, shock was only one of the things they portrayed. Needless to say, they all had quirked brows, clearly questioning what had happened. Though Gaius and Elliot just looked more taken back than anything.

"Yeah, when we we kids! It's a little different now!" Rean contended.

Fie eyed him for a moment, before simply going, "Mmm."

...

"Anyway, now that your room's all sorted, let me give you this." Margot said, as she held out an envelope with the words Thors Military Academy written on it, along with the academy's crest.

"That's our academy's emblem." Rean observed, as he took the envelope from her.

"Does this contain the details of our assignment here?" Laura inquired.

"That's what I've been told, yes."Margot confirmed with a nod of her head. "Well, if you need anything during your stay, just let me know. For now, I'll leave you to get settled in." With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her as she did.

"All right. Shall we have a look inside it?" Gaius proposed.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Elliot affirmed.

"Okay, let's see what we've got..." Rean said, as he opened the envelope and pulled out the paper tucked away inside and unfolded it, the other four reading it along with him as he began to do so.

The list contained three tasks. The first was from a man known as Father Zirbel, a clergyman, to procure some ingredients to make a particular medicine. The second, was from a man known as Samus, who worked at a local arms and orbal factory, and wanted them to replace a malfunctioning orbal light in a roadlamp along one of the highways. The third and final task was from a man known as Syro, a farmer, who needed them to exterminate a monster that was making it difficult for his family to harvest their crops.

Below the tasks was additional information regarding the field study itself. Which Gaius read off aloud, "Study area is defined as two hundred selge radius around Celdic. Each student must record his or her activities daily, to be remitted to the instructor upon request."

They were less concerned with that. however, than the actual tasks themselves.

"Uhh...I don't know about you guys, but this just looks like a list of menial tasks to me." Elliot opined.

"There is a monster elimination request, at least. But that's the most we have." Laura noted.

"Well, there is more to helping a town or settlement then slaying monsters." Gaius stated.

"I see. So that's her angle." Rean said to himself aloud.

"Huh, did you figure something out?" The orbal staff user queried.

"Oh, no, it's nothing. We should go and talk this over with Instructor Sara though. She probably stuck around specifically to answer any questions we might have." The dark haired teen inferred.

"Hmm, you may be right." The swordswoman of the group acknowledged.

"That seems like a good idea." The tallest of the group commented.

* * *

After speaking with a mildly drunk Sara, who did little to answer any of their questions, and Rean vocalized his realization that their choices as to what to do and when to do it were just as much a part of the field study as the tasks themselves, Sara finally saying something useful and reinforcing his words, they left the inn. Once outside, Rean explicated his reasoning on the matter, and they came to the conclusion, as a group, that this was not only to test them in a way, but also to provide them the invaluable opportunity to gather knowledge about Celdic as a whole, giving them real insight about the town, over just what they knew from studying about it. With that out in the open, they came to the decision to work down the list of tasks while doing their best to immerse themselves in the culture of Celdic.

The first of which they decided to work on was to gather ingredients for the medicine Father Zirbel wished to make. So after talking with him and getting the rundown on what they needed, stopping by the market to procure the first of the two main ingredients, they headed for the west exit of Celdic, which led out onto the west highway.

Before they could though, they ran into three men blocking their way, all dressed in blue and white outfits with gold accents, clearly some kind of soldiers. As it turned out, they were indeed soldiers, soldiers from the Provincial Army in fact. The Provincial Army that served the Albarea family on top of that. Thankfully, they didn't give the students much trouble, just trying to intimidate them a little, after having made sure they were truly from Thors like they claimed they were. After that they went about their business, and so did the teens, though it did leave them with a sense of wariness towards them.

...

Once they had secured the second main ingredient from a farmer known as Paul, they returned to town and turned in to Father Zirbel. He thanked them for their assistance and rewarded them with some spare healing salve he had on hand, that while helpful, wasn't too useful around Celdic, seeing as it was meant to be used on wounds, that were to be wrapped up afterward. And those were rather rare in such a peaceful place as this.

With that task complete, they moved on to the next. Speaking with Samus at his place of work, he gave them the details on what needed to be done, as well as how to access the roadlamp to change out the orbal light. Which, as it turned out, was back on the highway they had just come back from. So, access code in hand for the panel they had to open, they returned to the west Celdic highway.

...

Changing out the light proved rather easy, even as a dozen monsters surrounded them, while one of them punched in the code and did the actual changing, the other four wiped the beasts out with little difficulty. Second task completed, they returned to Celdic and informed Samus of their success. He thanked them, and they went on their way.

Time to begin their third and final task, they left town through the east exit, travelling along the East Celdic Highway, until they reached a farmhouse owned by the one who had put out the extermination request. Upon entering they were greeted by the man, Syro, who, while expressing concern over how young they were, trusted them to take care of his monster problem regardless. Giving them the information they needed, such as it's location and what it looked like, a blue dinosaur apparently, he wished them luck, and off they went.

...

The monster was no pushover in a general sense, but was clearly no match for the five, being slain rather shortly after having encountering them. It wasn't much of a shock that they won so easily, considering the three strongest members of Class VII were in the group, not to mention one of the two tied for fourth strongest. Even Elliot didn't break a sweat because of how quickly they brought an end to that beast. So it was a rather uninteresting affair as a whole, the only remotely interesting thing to happen being the weird look Laura gave to Rean, that when he questioned her about, she brushed it off as nothing.

Their last task complete, they returned to Syro and let him know that the beast would no longer be a problem. Filled with gratitude, he thanked them quite sincerely, and after having asked him why he didn't have the Provincial Army take care of this instead with how close they were to Celdic, and him explaining that they didn't have much interest in aiding him or the rest of the town, which didn't sit well with any of them, Laura especially, they left for town once more.

However, when they got there, they found themselves mixed up in some commotion in the Grand Market, between two merchants known as Heinz and Marco. It was something about their stall permits and who had the most forefront stall. The five managed to break it up with little incident, with the help of a man they came to know as Otto the Market Manager. He had them make a compromise, then took the five students back to his home where he thanked them and apologized, while treating them to tea. There he also informed them what was the underlying cause of the flaring tensions of those two, and how it was affecting them all as a whole, it being because of Duke Albarea's near ludicrous tax increase. And that because of their collective refusal to pay it, as it would leave them less than what they would even just need to survive day to day, the Provincial Army was less than inclined to help them in any matter. Which explained why there was no interference on their part in that squabble in the Grand Market, or assistance with that monster extermination.

Assuring them not worry about it, as they needed to focus on their studies, he showed them out and bid them good evening, as they needed to return and write their reports. Before they did return to the inn though, they saw off Sara, who was going to help Group B sort things out, as they weren't getting anything done at all.

...

Once back at the inn, they were treated to dinner by Margot, which they had just finished.

"Aaah...that was delicious." Elliot praised the meal. "Those were some seriously fresh vegetables too."

"It was quite good." Gaius concurred.

"Yeah, nothing beats food made from local ingredients." Rean commented.

"I quite enjoyed the rye bread myself." Laura remarked.

Fie hummed in agreement with that.

Silence consumed the five then, as they prepared to rise from their seats and make their way upstairs. Before they did though, the second youngest of them spoke.

"You know, I've been thinking...and I can't help but question what exactly Class VII's purpose is." Elliot voiced his rumination on the matter. "Instructor Sara says it's about ARCUS, but I really don't think that's the only reason we've been brought together."

Just like that, the task of ascending to the second floor was momentarily forgotten.

"I'm certain it's not." Laura vocalized her opinion on the matter.

"It's never that simple." Fie agreed.

"If that were all, today's field study tasks would serve little purpose." The well spoken seventeen year old added.

"It seems to me that Instructor Sara is trying to imbue us with experiences, both big and small, important and trivial. Question though, is why?" Gaius cogitated aloud.

The silence returned, as they all seemed to take a few moments to think that over.

"What do we have to offer one and other, when our reasons for enrolling at Thors in the first place are undoubtedly very different?" Rean pondered.

"Our...reasons?" The orange haired teen repeated with uncertainty.

"My reason for enrolling was quite simple." The reserved swordswoman started. "I aim to come ever closer to my goal. Or rather, to the person whom I regard as such."

"Who's that?" The orbal staff wielder questioned.

"Heh. This is neither the time nor place to discuss such matters. Best to save that topic for another day." Was her response. "What about you, Fie? Why did you enroll at the academy?" She went on to ask.

"I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. I was all alone and had nowhere else to go." The stoic fifteen year old revealed, as composed as ever. "It was either that or wander Zemuria by myself. And..." The young girl closed her eyes then, going quiet as she did. 'I didn't want to be alone.' She finished mentally. Reopening her eyes, she finished her sentence. "And that's it. So, I enrolled at Thors."

Rean was unable to hide the frown that marred his face, knowing the full story of how she had met Sara and she enrolled at the woman's behest, it didn't make it any better. She was abandoned by those she considered family. He knew how deeply that must have cut her, how she was scarred by it. There was sadness in her eyes when she spoke about them, that he would do anything to absolve her of. But how could he ever possibly accomplish such an impossible task? All he could truly do for her, was be there for her, by her side, like he had sworn to her he would all those years ago.

"I see." Laura said, taken back by the level of blunt, almost brutal, honesty from the younger girl. Though she didn't show it, it seemed to still be a sensitive topic, so the blue haired teen chose not to try and probe further, and she was sure the others would choose to do the same.

"Fie, I never knew..." Elliot trailed off, caught completely off guard. He wasn't sure what to say to this.

"Are you alright?" Gaius inquired with concern, having notice the flicker of emotion the silver haired girl displayed at the end.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." She assured, genuine in her words. "So, Gaius, what's your reason for coming to Thors?" She questioned him, switching focus from her to him in doing so.

"I enrolled to learn more about the world outside of Nord." He began without hesitation, happy to accommodate the younger teen's wish to get the focus off of her. "My homeland sits between the border of Erebonia and Calvard, two countries that more often than not, are at each other's throats. And the ever looming threat that presents to my home has always concerned me greatly. So it is my hope, that with better understanding of the world, will come understanding of how to better protect my homeland." He divulged.

"A very noble cause." Laura commended.

Fie nodded her head in affirmation regarding her fellow female's words.

"You're amazing Gaius. Taking something like that upon yourself this young, just wow!" Elliot expressed his astonishment.

"I don't know about all that. I just want to protect my home." The soft spoken Nord replied.

"They're right, Gaius. Goals don't get much more altruistic than that." Rean told the taller boy with a smile.

"Man, I'm really in the minority here." Elliot grumbled to himself a bit. "See, I wasn't intending on coming here at all originally. I wanted to do something completely different."

"Oh yeah, you said you were really hoping you'd get into a music academy, right?" Rean asked.

"Ahaha. Well, I wasn't that serious about it or anything..." Elliot tried to brush it off, but it was kind of clear there was more to it than that. No one pressed him on the issue however. "What about you, Rean?" He asked in turn. "You're the last hold out. And since you're the one who brought it up, it's only fair if you answer the question too."

"Me?" Rean queried, a little surprised. "Hmm..." Closing his eyes, he went quiet for a few short moments, before opening them and answering with, "It's nothing special. I guess I just...wanted to find myself."

"Find yourself...?" The emerald green eyed sixteen year old repeated.

'Rean...' Fie stared at her childhood friend, wondering to herself about the way he acted, the things he did, how he was so different from when they were children, and yet still, how he was almost the exact same in so many ways.

"Sorry, that makes it sound like a much bigger deal than it actually is. That's the best way I can think of to put it though." He remarked, rubbing the back of his head while grinning sheepishly as he did.

"Heh. Nothing wrong with that. Going on a journey of self-discovery...it's actually a pretty cool answer!" Elliot complimented.

"You may not think of it as such, but to seek out your true self, it is a very profound goal." Gaius told his fellow teen.

Laura remained quiet, simply continuing to stare inquisitively, as if searching for something, at Rean. Almost as if she was scrutinizing him at every turn, having been doing so for most of the day. If he noticed, he never mentioned it.

...

"So, you want me to wake you up at six tomorrow, right?" Margot asked, just to make sure.

"Yes, please. We only have until tomorrow evening, so we need to get an early start." Rean answered.

"We really appreciate it." Gaius preemptively thanked her.

"It's no problem at all!" Margot assured them. "Have a good night."

"Good night." Elliot returned the sentiment.

The inn owner then left them to their own devices, returning to the counter to tend to the customers, leaving the teens at the bottom of the steps leading to the second floor.

Elliot hung his head with a sigh then. "But we're not actually going to sleep yet, are we? Not until we write our reports for the day..." He whined.

"We'll just have to make sure to get them done as soon as we can, that way we'll have more time to rest." Gaius advised.

"You don't sound very worried about it..." The younger of the males said.

"Well, I'm used to rising early. It was commonplace back home." The dark brown haired teen replied.

The two continued to converse, as they began to ascend the stairs to the second floor, Fie following after them as they did. As Rean moved to do the same, however, the sound of his name being spoken caught his attention.

"Rean?"

"Hmm? What is it?" He queried, turning to face the one in question who was speaking to him.

"I was unsure whether to ask or not, but I've decided this question bears answering." Laura told him. "Why have you chosen to hold back?"

"What?" Was Rean's questioning response.

"Your sword style and technique...it is the Eight Leaves One Blade school, is it not?" It was clear that she already knew the answer to that. "Popularize by the 'Sword Hermit' Yun Ka-fai, it combines the best elements of other Eastern sword styles. " She expounded the style. "Those who master any of its forms are referred to as a 'Divine Blade', and are said to understand the true nature of all things."

"You certainly know an awful lot about it." Rean remarked. "I didn't think it was particularly renowned here in the Empire."

"We of the Arseid school consider the studying of other swordsmanship styles to be an essential part of our training. In addition, my father once told me...'If you follow the path of the sword, it is only a matter of time before you encounter a follower of the Eight Leaves.'" She divulged.

"Your...father said that?" It was clear the raven haired teen was more than a little shocked to hear that. "Haha. It's an honor to be acknowledged by the Radiant Blademaster himself."

A lull manifested between the two's communication, quiet filling the air for several, long moments. Until...

"I'm nothing special though. I'm just a dropout who's never even-" As Laura gazed at him intently, awaiting the truth on the matter, Rean found himself in the middle of espousing a half-truth. Did he really want to lie to one of his classmates? 'I thought better of it with Crow, perhaps I should do the same now.' He thought to himself. 'I had said that I wanted to make friends with the rest of Class VII, didn't I? Lying to them isn't the way to do that. I mean, I wouldn't lie to Fie, would I? I have to be honest.' He rationalized.

Sighing deeply, he started speaking once more. "Look, the truth is...I did train with Master Ka-fai, but he cut my training short. I was...I hit a wall. I had barely past the beginner level, when he told me that he would no longer be able to train me. He said that I...that my conflicting emotions made it impossible to learn anything more than I already had. So...so, I could go no further. " He was unable to hide the shred of apprehensiveness he felt at disclosing this.

Laura was evidently taken off guard by this revelation, judging by the expression on her face. Nevertheless, she dug deeper into the matter. "Conflicting emotions?"

"Yeah. I was determined to get stronger, but I was also...afraid." Rean confessed, clearly filled with anxiousness on the matter.

"Afraid of what?" Laura probed further, concerned for her classmate, but also intrigued to a great degree.

'Myself.' He thought to himself immediately, closing his eyes as he did. 'Of my power.' That was his true answer. However, he didn't have to bare all to someone to be honest with them. He had no desire to unbosom himself to this girl, or any of the others for that matter, not yet at least. Fie knew the whole truth, that was good enough. Maybe when he was closer with the others, just maybe, he would tell them of that side of himself. But for now...

Opening his eyes, he turned away from his fellow sword wielder, evading the question entirely as he did. "So, I'm not actually holding back. And I'm sorry that I don't quite live up to your expectations." There seemed to be genuine remorse there, as he said this.

Moving to climb the staircase, he was stopped once more. "Wait. I apologize for pressing the issue. I understand if you don't want to talk about it. But, please, could you just answer one more question?" She asked of him solemnly.

Turning to face her once more, he awaited the question.

"Why did you take up the path of the sword?" Such a small, simple question. Yet it carried such enormous weight.

"Why?" He repeated. "To protect someone."

...

Above, just about leaning over the railing, the other three teens listened to the two converse below.

"I could tell for awhile now that he's been bottling something up, and trying as hard as he can to keep anyone else from noticing." Gaius stated, just softly enough that only those beside him could hear his words.

"You've noticed it too?" Elliot asked quietly with a curious glance.

Gaius nodded his head in affirmation. "Yeah. I first saw it during our fight with that gargoyle in the old schoolhouse."

"It took me a bit longer. I didn't see it for the first time until our combat practice three days later."

"He's been doing it since he got to the academy. It just becomes more noticeable during battle." Fie amended their statements.

"Fie, you've known him a lot longer than we have, any idea what it is?" The timid sixteen year old queried.

"If we knew, perhaps we could help him." The soft spoken seventeen year old suggested.

Fie failed to respond to either of them though, as she closed her eyes and began to contemplate.

* * *

 _"Tag! You're it!" Rean exclaimed, rushing past Fie as he did, so as to get away from her before she could tag him back._

 _"Hey, no fair! I wasn't ready!" The silver haired girl protested, before rushing after him._

 _Elise, who was sitting in the snow a few feet away, taking a rest after the rousing game of hide and seek they had just finished, jumped to her feet before diving into fray, eager to play. Crossing her fellow seven year old's path, she succeeded in catching her attention long enough to ensure her brother didn't get tagged. Only, now she was the one in danger of being made it, as the yellow-green eyed girl came after her._

 _Fie would have caught her, if Rean didn't cut in at the last moment, saving his sister from being tagged as he did, stumbling as he moved her and himself out of the way. That left them both precariously close to their fellow child, presenting the young girl the opportunity to tag either of them easily. How did they keep her from getting them? Simple. Rean threw a snowball in her face._

 _"Split up!" Rean instructed his sister. So, they split, running in exact opposite directions as they did, while Fie wiped the snow off her face._

 _"Rean, you're such a cheater!" She vociferated, running after him once the snow was no longer blocking her vision._

 _"You're just mad that you can't catch me!" He taunted her, his tone thick with mirth._

 _"Oh yeah!? Wanna bet!?" She hollered after him, attempting to close the distance between them as quickly as she could, straight out sprinting at this point._

 _Her effort quickly paid off, as she got almost close enough to touch him, just a few centimeters too far ahead of her to make contact with, even with her arm outstretched. So what did she do? Well, she really wanted to get him, so she threw herself forward and tackled him from behind._

 _"I got you!" She cried with glee, as he turned over to face her, face covered in snow._

 _"Yeah you did, I mean, look at my face. You really made me eat dirt for what I said, huh? Or snow, I guess."_

 _The two proceeded to peel into a fit of rambunctious laughter then, eliciting the question what's so funny from Rean's sister, as she walked up beside them. Once she saw her brother's face though, she just joined in on the laughter._

* * *

Sitting up in bed, Rean let his eyes wander the room. He had just awoken from a light doze, for some reason unable to find restful, deep slumber. The room was dark, only the light of the moon permeating the room through the window allowed him to really see his surroundings. Because of that, he noticed what was out of place almost immediately. Gaius, Elliot and Laura were all in their beds, asleep, while a certain silver haired girl was noticeably absent. She was not even in the room, in fact.

Curious, and a little concerned, he got out of the bed, and made his way over to the desk to retrieve his clothes.

...

After changing out of his pajamas and into his school uniform, he made his way downstairs and proceeded to exit the inn. As he did, he made absolutely sure the door closed quietly behind him, so as not to disturb anyone sleeping within the establishment, his classmates or otherwise.

Once outside, it didn't take him long to find his childhood friend at all, who too had changed into her school uniform, considering she was leaning against the the wall right beside the entrance. Upon seeing her so suddenly, Rean probably would have jumped, but used to her popping up like that out of nowhere, it didn't really affect him much, just a simple widening of the eyes, before returning to normal.

"There you are." He simply said.

"Yep." She responded simply.

"Having trouble sleeping, I'm guessing?"

"Got it in one." She confirmed.

"Yeah, me too."

Turning around, he let his gaze wander the town, taking in it's appearance covered in the shadows of darkness, only illuminated by the same moonlight that had allowed him to navigate the room without fumbling about. It was almost eerily quiet too, though with everyone asleep, that was to be expected. After all, it was like three in the morning, give or take an hour so, by the teen's calculations anyway.

"Want to talk about it?" Rean suddenly inquired, looking back at her as he did.

She sighed at that. "I don't always have a problem, ya know."

"I know that. But something's bugging you."

She took a few moments to respond to that. "Yeah, you're right."

"So, what is it? I can't help unless you tell me."

Another sigh. "I've been thinking. About you." She specified.

"About me?" He wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Yeah, you. I've been trying to figure out why you were holding back during the practical exam." She clarified. "That's what I've had on my mind. Among...other things."

'Other things?' Was his immediate thought. Pushing that to the back of his mind, he replied to her statement. "I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't holding back during our fight."

"Yes, you were." She insisted. "I can sense people and the power they possess just as well as you can. I had thought I could do so even better than you, until I realized you were able to perceive just how out of our league we were when Sara instructed us to attack her." She disclosed to him. "I've felt the strength of your aura. You try to hide it, but you have to show most of it when you fight, so I was able to discern just how strong you really are." She explicated. "I know why you're always so tense, why you're always so reserved, why you're bottling things up. It's because you're afraid it will happen again, aren't you?"

Eyes wide once more, Rean was almost speechless. "Fie, I..." His emotions were clearly whirling.

"But that doesn't explain why you held back during our battle. If you had gone all out, we would have been on an even playing field for the most part." She finished, her eyes meeting his, burrowing into him with her piercing gaze.

"It's...it's..." He began but trailed off, closing his eyes as he did, attempting to reign his emotions in. After a dozen or so moments, he managed to do so, reopening his eyes once he did, meeting her gaze with his own in doing so. "I didn't hold back. You're just stronger than I am Fie. There was only one technique I could've used that would have turned the tide of battle in my favor, and I could never bring myself to use it against you. Even if you'd still win, regardless whether I used it or not." He elucidated. "Besides that, trying to push my capabilities beyond my current level through sheer force and effort, without the skill to do so, makes it rather difficult to assure that I won't lose myself again. And I...I don't ever want something like that to happen again." Pain, fear and remorse flooded his tone, as the image of himself standing over the butchered corpse of that man, with Fie and Elise gawking at his bloodied form, flashed in his mind. The thought that he could do that to the ones he cared about, those he loved...it terrified him beyond measure.

His distress all too evident, Fie decided he needed some time to talk with a friend. "Let's take a walk."

...

"You've really changed, you know that?"

"Huh?" Was Fie's eloquent response.

"You're different than you were when we were kids. You've become stoic, almost aloof, less playful, and somewhat cynical."

"Oh." Was all she said at that, though the way her irises shifted downward, and how she lowered her head the slightest bit, spoke volumes of how that made her feel.

"But in a lot of ways, you haven't really changed at all." He continued. "You're still the sweet, kind hearted, quick witted, laid-back girl I first met."

That got her to perk back up, a smile crossing her face.

...

"About what you said to Laura..." Fie began, choosing her words carefully as she did. "When you said you took up the path of the sword to protect someone..."

"I was talking about you and Elise." He came straight out and confirmed it, stopping in his tracks as he did, his childhood friend doing the same, coming to a stop beside him.

"O-Oh, I see..." The stoic fifteen year old, in spite of her nature, was unable to keep a light blush from dusting her cheeks.

"I know you're stronger than me now, but that doesn't change anything, not to me at least. I still want to protect you, no matter what." He confessed to her, his words completely heartfelt, despite being the tiniest bit cheesy.

It was at that moment, that Fie made a decision. She stood on her toes and pressed her lips against the right side of Rean's face, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you." Her blush, needless to say, was even darker now. In the same vein, her smile was larger.

Rean's immediate reaction? To go red as a tomato and begin spluttering. Unfortunately, before he could get anything coherent out, the sound of something being smashed caught the two teens attention.

Directing their eyes to the Grand Market, which they stood atop the steps leading down into, they caught sight of four men vandalizing a stall.

* * *

END NOTE: So, there's an almost semi-decent change for you. The bandits were caught in the act of the theft of goods. What does this mean for day two of the field study? You shall see. Also, the first real fight comes next chapter, so, yeah, I can't wait! And yeah, I probably could have changed more, really wanted to as well. Perhaps I should just say fuck it and start really doing things differently, hmm...yeah, that sounds good, but I also want to hit certain points and have certain scenes happen that also happened in the games. I just don't know...say, tell me what you guys think.

Why? Because you've gone this far with me, I'd like to know your opinions. I also feel this chapter is sub par, at least the first half or so anyway, so I would really, really like to know. Am I imagining it, or is it the truth? Should I keep to script and just try and work the changes in there as I go? Or, should I just all but throw said script out the window and really go at it from scratch from here on out? Let me know. Oh, and just so you know, if you guys and I come to an agreement on the latter, I might...take some liberties with certain characters and events, so as to fit my storyline better. More so than I already planned to, that is.

Like I said, if you don't want that, or you do, let me know. I'm thinking it over myself, and with all the other crap I've got going on, I'd really appreciate any and all input on the matter.

Also, just in case anyone is wondering, yes, Rean is indeed somewhat stronger than he was at the beginning of the game. He's still the third strongest of the class, it's just that the gap between his power and Fie's and Laura's is more narrow.


	5. Something Missing

jamesb497: That's what I'd hoped it would be, interesting.

8Swords: No, he isn't. He might have been, and quite frankly, I think you're right. A fist fight probably broke out between the two. Who knows? I do. You will all too, soon enough.

Alright, if you think so.

Ah, Crow. You just had to say that didn't you? Hold back until Heimdallr huh? That could work. I mean, I have a...perhaps not quite a twist, but something new and different for each field study planned, with the exception of this one, but even with it in place, they would still play out, for the most part, the same. But sticking to the script until Heimdallr, or after Heimdallr, which is more likely, is a rather plausible plan. Hmm...perhaps. We shall see. Also, thank you for your input. :)

ZealousSiren: Okay, if you say so. Yeah, I understand that, it's just kind of...well, irritating, is all. Ah, so you're planning a similar AU? That could be good. I might end up reading it, considering it's bound to be Rean X Fie. I can sympathize with that, you don't want to make your story too much like the original or someone else's, I've been caught in between like that before. My advice? Write it how you want to, if it's similar in some places to someone else's, that's fine, just make sure you don't copy them word for word. And, if you take anything directly from their story, credit them for it. It's what I'd do. Considering you're worried about making your story too much like mine, I really don't think you have any cause for concern. I trust you to make the AU your own. Though, if you have any questions, or just want someone to bounce ideas off of, message me. I'd be happy to help a fellow Rean X Fie fan. Especially one who's one of my readers.

Yeah, I have some good ones planned. Several interactions of which I simply just can't wait to write, like a certain one I have planned with Sharon, another one I have planned with Millium, one with Crow once he joins the class, and so on and so forth. I'm ecstatic for when those come about! You would huh? I appreciate that, I'll take it under advisement. I too love the childhood flashbacks. And there are still several more to come! Thank you for the input and the luck wishing, I appreciate it. :)

Apex85: Yeah, well, Fie didn't hold back when fighting Rean, or at least mostly anyway. She held back some physically, but not a whole bunch. She also, of course, refrained from using any of her special techniques, as well as her flash grenades and explosives, of course. When it comes to simple physical prowess, she came at him at about roughly eighty percent or so. And she was bothered by Rean holding back against her, not holding back in general.

Yeah, I had thought about that. But then Machias would have to come too, which means Elliot and Gaius would have went with Emma and Alisa, and that dynamic, for this field study in particular at least, wouldn't have worked, in my opinion. So...yeah, that's why I didn't go through with it.

Heero De Fanel: Well good, I'm glad. Yeah, that's why I'm thinking about it...but I don't know yet. Oh yeah, that was gonna happen no matter what. Machias and Jusis just have to butt heads, to the extreme. Poor Alisa and Emma indeed. Thank you! :)

Jose19: Yeah, I got it, you don't dislike the pairing, but you stand by Rean and Laura over it. I understand that. Yes, Rean will have to deal with Xeno and Leo regarding his relationship with Fie, eventually. That's something I'm quite looking forward to writing, in fact. Overprotective? Sure. But can you really blame them? I know I can't. Besides, I think it adds to their characters.

RedBurningDragon: I looked them up awhile ago, at least Guy's and Yuri's. I didn't care for them all that much to be honest, with the exception of Savage Wolf Fury. Now that I can work with. I most definitely intend to give Rean a new move based off of it. So, yeah, thank you very much for your assistance! :)

Yep, and yes, the groups will be different every field study, by at least a single member. But most likely, it'll be by two members. I'm glad you're enjoying them. Go Fie indeed. Also, regarding your corrections of one of Machias's and Elliot's sentences, I've fixed them. I appreciate you pointing them out to me.

Tsyne-Oblivion: Yeah, no worries my friend, none once so ever, you're entirely good. I mean, I know for a fact that when Cold Steel 3 comes out, in the States, no matter where we are in the story, it'll be put on hold for awhile while I do nothing but literally enjoy the hell out of that game. Anyway, you're certainly not wrong. Hmm...we'll see how it goes, but toss the script is sounding more and more appealing...but keeping it as a guideline doesn't seem too bad either. We'll just have to see where things go, I guess. I have several ideas I want to bring to fruition, and depending on how they play out, they will heavily influence which route I take with the story. As it goes along though, it is inevitable that the script will, eventually, be rendered useless, as I'll be so far off the original mark, it would be pointless to keep it around. But I'm about to start rambling, so I'll stop myself here.

DarkMegaSF: Thank you. Here's more. :P

KingofTrails25: Thank you! I would have PM'ed you with what you wanted to know dude, but...well, I don't really have any advice for you. Not really. I've only completed one story so far in my Fanfiction career, if you could call it that, if we're not counting one-shots anyway. And I took it down to rewrite it, and all my stuff got deleted somehow, so...yeah, it's on Hiatus until I can come up with a new plot I want to use. In other words, I'm not really sure. My longest running story right now is kinda long, standing at about three hundred and eighty two thousand words, and is only just getting started truly. So you'd figure I could help, but really, I can't. I don't have any real tips or tricks to give out, I wouldn't mind if I did, because I know I could've used the help when I first started out.

Anyway, all I can really tell you is how I do it. And the way I do it is simple, I write stories I myself would like to read. Now, that doesn't mean I make everything a fulfillment of all my fantasies regarding the fandom, but I do think to myself, would I find this interesting enough to read? Don't be afraid to ask for help, of course, and really consider taking suggestions your readers give you. That said, don't let them dictate what happens in your story either. Some readers will be very helpful and give you advice, and just genuinely want to help you make your story better. Others though...well, they just want every little thing they want incorporated in the story, no matter how ridiculous or just stupid it might be. Trust me, I've had to deal with some regarding that longest running story I was talking about. Not a single one of those bothersome people have come near this story though, which is cool. But, I digress.

If you feel like discussing this topic further, you can PM me. As to why I didn't send this to you in a message...well, it's not what you asked for. That's why. If I had the advice you wanted, I would have done as you bid and sent you it in a message. Unfortunately, I do not. I hope this will suffice. If not, then you have my apologies.

Thank you once again, I appreciate your kind words. :)

Godzilla12343: Thanks.

Blue Bragon: Thank you, I appreciate that. Hope you continue to enjoy it.

Once more, thanks to all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update. Gravenimage. General D23, androsjr198, HeavensGovernor, knightblazer85, trlocke, RoyalZel, zeroblackdragon15, Godzilla12343, Sor-Rin, duke drake, Blue Bragon, runewizarddd, Grubsy3D, and Storm Hawk 21, thank you!

Heh, heh, you know what's funny guys? You know how I said the first fight would take place in this chapter? Well...yeah...that's not happening. Sorry! :(

Now, before anyone gets upset at me for going back on my word, I didn't want to. I hadn't intended to, I swear! However, with my writing situation, some stuffy going on in my daily life that's making things difficult for me, and myriad of other crap, it's going to take me awhile before I can even get to work on said fight. So, I figured it'd be better to give you guys this chapter, rather than nothing at all until I could not only write the first fight scene, but also complete it.

So, yeah, again, I'm very sorry about that. Hopefully you guys won't mind too much, but I'm preparing for the worst case scenario just in case. I want to be prepared in case people decided to take up arms against me and such. XD But seriously, you have my apologies. I had no intention once so ever to lie to you guys or go back on my word. It just worked out like that. My bad. Forgive me?

Anyway, moving on. Part three of chapter one, better than nothing right? Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT I -**_ _ **CHAPTER I -**_ _ **PART III**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **Septian Calendar 1204**_  
 _ **4/25 - Sunday**_

A bespectacled, light skinned man with violet colored eyes and neck length blue-grey hair, who appeared to be in his early thirties, stood atop of a building. Hidden by the darkness of night, he watched as two teens thrashed four grown men below. This man wore a long grey-turquoise military jacket with light brown and white linings, a short light brown shoulder cloth attached and the slightest of gold accents, along with a blue belt wrapped around his jacket, a dark brown arm cloth on his right arm, tan pants, and brown boots with protective cloth garb.

"They've botched such a simple task. How woefully inadequate they've turned out to be." The bespectacled man remarked to himself. "No matter." He disregarded the failure dispassionately, as he turned away. "There's more than one way to go about this."

* * *

"Hmm? What's going on?" Elliot asked with a yawn, wiping the sleep from his bleary eyes, as he sat up in the bed he lie in.

"Something's happening outside. We're going to check it out." Gaius filled him in, who, the orange haired teen just realized, was already dressed in his school uniform. He had already changed out of his sleepwear.

Looking over to his right, he saw Laura was much the same. She was fully ready to go, already wearing her school uniform, her sleepwear nowhere in sight.

Yawning once more, the violinist proceeded to question, "Where are Rean and Fie?"

"I'm afraid we don't know. That's one of the reasons we're going out to check out what all the commotion is about." Laura informed him.

"Got it." The emerald green eyed teen acknowledged, getting out of the bed as he did. "I'll get changed. You guys go ahead." He told them, trying to fight off another yawn.

"Alright, we'll wait for you downstairs." Gaius replied, before he and Laura left the room.

'Hope Rean and Fie are alright...' Elliot thought to himself, still half asleep, as he took off his pajamas.

Halfway through getting changed, the sleep addled state his mind was in had dissipated, leaving him thinking clearly. Which meant he was throwing open the door and stumbling down the stairs, worried over his two classmates, who, as the other two had already guessed, were more than likely the cause of the disturbance. "Wait, does that mean that they're outside!?"

* * *

It was the wee hours of morning, the sun barely even visible beyond the horizon, only just giving enough light to see one's surroundings, as the citizens of Celdic gathered around the entrance to the Grand Market. Some were early risers and had been going to get their stalls set up, others were awoken by the noise of the little skirmish that had taken place outside, and still, others were drawn by the presence of their fellow denizens. Regardless of why they were all here, they all had stopped before entering the Grand Market, watching as two teens below finished tying up four grown men. They were all, understandably, quite curious as to what was going on, peeking over one and other to try and get a glimpse, as they were too crowded for everyone to be able to see clearly.

"That should do it." Rean remarked, standing up from his crouched position as he did.

"Yeah, they're not going anywhere." Fie agreed.

Behind them, a man made his way through the crowd and down into the market, asking as he did so, "What's going on over here?"

Turning to face said man, who was of average height and build, had fair skin, short grey hair and a matching simple mustache, the two quickly recognized him as the Market Manager, Otto.

Before they could explain the situation, three more people pressed past the crowd and down into the market. They were none other than Rean and Fie's classmates, of course.

"Rean, Fie, what are you two doing out here?" Elliot inquired.

"Something seems to have happened." Gaius observed, taking notice of the four men tied up behind the two teenagers.

"Who are these men?" Laura queried, also taking notice of the four.

Rather than answer their questions one by one, Rean and Fie simply informed them, and Otto, of what had occurred.

...

"I see. I can't thank you two enough for stepping in like you did." The older man vocalized his gratitude. Before he could say more than that though, someone else's voice was heard.

"Hey, what's going on over he-my stall!" Came a shout from the crowd, drawing everyone's attention to the man responsible for the noise. "What happened to my stall!?" He yelled, as he rushed down into the marketplace.

Group A quickly recognized the man, who stood at about average height with fair skin and dark hair, as one of the two merchants who had been bickering with each other the day before. Heinz was his name.

"What's with everyone, what are you all gawking at-" Another voice began, as the person it belonged to entered the market. "What the...what happened here?" A second man, also of average build and fair skin, with brown hair, questioned. This was the other merchant involved in the squabble, Marco.

"It's you! You did this, didn't you!?" Heinz whirled around and accused, nostrils flaring, as his fellow merchant came to a stop a few feet from him.

"Huh!? I didn't do th-wait, what the hell!?" Marco exclaimed, his voice rising a few octaves, as he noticed his stall, located near the back of the market, was in a similar state to Heinz's own.

As the brown haired merchant rushed back to his stall, he began freaking out just as Heinz was. He didn't get more than a few moments to do so though, as Heinz followed after him.

"How dare you destroy my stall, you damned coward! I knew you country folk weren't to be trusted!"

"Who are you calling coward, you Heimdallrian snob?!" Marco quickly rounded on him "You're the one who wanted my spot all to yourself!" He stated vehemently. "You're trying to paint me as the bad guy here, because you're the one who really did it, aren't you!?"

"Calm down, gentlemen, please!" Otto implored, as he moved toward the two, so as to try and break it up before things got ugly. It was to no avail, however.

"Me!? I would never!" Heinz insisted, clearly offended.

"Like I believe that!" Marco spat. "What do you say we settle this right here and now?!" He proposed, ire flaring.

"Hmph! Bring it on!" Heinz responded, balling his fists up, clearly ready to tussle.

"It's like they don't even see the guys tied up over here." Fie commented, as the two moved toward one and other, ready to throw down.

"HOLD IT!" Rean shouted at the two, preventing things from escalating, as he and the rest of Group A moved in and prevented the two from coming to blows.

With their help, Otto apprised the two angry merchants of exactly what had happened here.

...

Knowing who the real culprits were, and especially knowing that their goods were safe and sound, brought the two back down, leaving them simply embarrassed and relieved, as well as thankful.

"Thank you kids so much!" The two merchants voiced their gratitude.

"If it wasn't for you two, I'd probably have gone belly up! I couldn't've afforded to lose my merchandise, especially not if that tax increase comes to pass." Marco elucidated.

"Yeah, we really owe you guys one. The theft of one's entire stock is a merchant's worst nightmare. You really saved our asses." Heinz affirmed.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just sorry that we weren't able to stop them from destroying your stalls in the first place." Rean replied.

"Don't be, you guys have done more than enough for us." Heinz stated.

"What he said. With our goods undamaged and accounted for, we can get over this." Marco assured.

"Glad to hear it." Rean said with a smile, before the two went about their business in cleaning up the mess that were their stalls.

"They sure were mad." Elliot remarked.

"A merchant's products are essentially his lifeblood, so it makes sense that they were so angry." Gaius pointed out.

"Indeed. So it was good thing you two were there to prevent the thieves from making off with them." Laura added, looking toward Rean and Fie as she did.

"Right place, right time, I guess." Rean supposed.

"Come to think of it, why were you guys out here so early in the first place?" Elliot questioned, clearly curious.

At that, Rean proceeded to flush red, remembering exactly what had happened before he and Fie took notice of the bandits. The others noticed, of course. Before they could press the matter though...

"What is the meaning of all this ruckus!?" Demanded a new voice, drawing everyone's eyes to the source of it, to see several member of the Provincial Army forcing their way through the crowd and into the Grand Market.

There were five of them in total, the CO of them being the one in front, who just so happened to be the same officer the group had run into the day before.

"I believe you are the one in charge?" Queried the highest ranking of the five men, shifting his gaze toward Otto as he did. "It's not even six in the morning and already there's a disturbance?" He continued without waiting for an answer. "I demand an explanation as to what has transpired."

"W-Well, you see..." As Otto prepared to do as he was told and let the military men in on what had happened, the officer took notice of the four men, beaten and bruised, tied up behind the five students. And as he did, his eyes visibly narrowed.

...

"Hmm...I see. Well then, it seems we arrived just in time, didn't we?" The Provincial Army Officer supposed, sounding just a tad irritated as he did. "Men, take them away!" He ordered his subordinates.

Doing as they were commanded, the four men dressed in blue and white with gold accents, moved past the students and proceeded to force the bandits to their feet, said four men grumbling curses and the like as it happened. Escorting the four, which was made easier by their bound state, they led them from the market and through the crowd, undoubtedly heading for the guardhouse.

"And you five..." The officer began, addressing Class VII as he did. "I suppose you were just trying to do what you thought was right. However, it will do you no good to go sticking your noses into other people's business. Do as I said before, keep your noses clean. And more importantly, keep them out of Provincial Army business! You have no place meddling in our affairs." He lectured them with authority, before turning and following after his fellow soldiers.

A few moments of silence ensued, as the man left the market, pushed past the crowd and went on to the guardhouse.

"I think he might've been a little upset that you guys did their job for them." Elliot commented.

"That's the way it looks." Rean agreed.

"I'm sure I'll lose sleep over it tonight." Fie remarked sarcastically.

"The Provincial Army here certainly doesn't conduct themselves with the most tact, that's for sure." Laura opined.

"They could have been a little more subtle in showing their annoyance with us, at least." Gaius put forth.

What was unsaid between the five, was just how...off that had all seemed. Why had the Provincial Army showed up only after everything had been settled? And why did they seem so agitated over the fact someone had apprehended the culprits? Was it really just a matter of pride on their part? Or something else? Moreover, how had those bandits gotten past them in the first place? Surely they had guards stationed outside their guardhouse at all hours of the night, so...just how?

None of them were given time to really ponder it though, as Otto spoke once more. "Once again, I'd like to thank you kids. You've been a great help to us since you got here. I truly can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am."

"There's no need for that. We didn't even do anything." The timid sixteen year old put forth, in reference to Laura, Gaius and himself.

"Correct. It's Rean and Fie who deserve your thanks." The swordswoman added.

"Right. We're just glad no one got hurt." The soft spoken seventeen year old said.

"No, we didn't do all that much really. We saw them wrecking the stalls and just acted." The raven haired teen explained.

"Regardless, you five have really helped us out. First by taking some troublesome tasks off my hands, and now this. I really appreciate it." Otto told them with a kind smile. "That said, since you're already up, I figure you might as well take this." With that said, he handed them an envelope.

"These are our tasks for the day?" The blue haired girl inquired, seeing as the envelope was just about an exact copy of the one from the day before.

"Indeed they are. I thought since you were already out here, why not cut out the middleman and give them to you myself."

"I would assume that means you're the one who picked these tasks for us?" The dark brown haired teen asked.

"Yes, today's and the day before's. Vandyck asked me if there was anything I could use a hand with, and that if I did, I should delegate such things to you. With everything as it is now, I didn't see any harm in it, and it certainly helped me." The greying man expounded.

"Wait, Principal Vandyck?" The orange haired teen questioned, unsure if they were thinking of the same person.

"Yes. He's an old friend of mine, so I took him up on his offer. Little did I know he'd send such dependable young folk." He remarked with a light hearted chuckle.

"Thank you for saying so." Laura replied with a small smile.

"Let's see what we've got today." Fie said, prompting Rean to open the envelope, and getting their fellow classmates attention off of the Market Manager, and back on it.

The list contained three tasks, just as the day before. The first and second were both from the Market Manager Otto himself, who was requesting their assistance in slaying a monster on the stone bridge leading to Heimdallr, located on the West Celdic Highway. As well as getting rid of another monster, this one on the East Celdic Highway, located near the entrance to the Lunaria Nature Park. And the third task was from a merchant woman known as Lizzie, who wished for someone to help her find the owner of the wallet she had found dropped in front of her stall.

"Two monster extermination requests this time, huh?" Elliot said, more stating a fact then asking. He would've liked someone to correct him though, since he certainly would have liked to have been wrong.

"So it seems. Both on opposite sides of our defined field study area." Laura noted.

"There's also that request about a lost wallet. That one will probably have us moving about the entire town." Gaius reckoned.

"You five just focus on completing your assigned tasks for today." Otto told them, getting their eyes on him once again. "Let me deal with the market and the incident with the bandits. After all, you have to be done by nine so that you can catch the last train back to Trista." He reminded them.

Beyond that, he gave them no time to respond, as he turned to the crowd, who had begun to trickle into the market, and spoke, "We can't open the Grand Market for business until we've cleaned up these busted stalls. Would anyone mind giving me a hand?"

As several people volunteered, Class VII decided to do as they were told and begin working on their tasks. Not before insisting they helped with the cleanup as well, courtesy of Rean, Gaius and Laura.

* * *

They decided to start off with the simplest of the tasks present, after they finished pitching in with the cleanup of the wrecked stalls, the lost wallet. After talking with the merchant woman Lizzie, they went about trying ascertain just who the wallet belonged to, as she had requested. They started with the train ticket they found in said wallet, using that as their first lead, they went to the station and asked if anyone had been asking about it. They learned that a woman had indeed been inquiring as to the whereabouts of a lost wallet, if not the same one they had in their possession. However, the woman was no longer there and had apparently went to the Weathercock Inn to ask if anyone there had found it.

Following along her footsteps, they did the same. Turns out she had been there alright, but she had left shortly before they had arrived. Talk about timing. This woman had neglected to tell anyone of her next destination, but her parting words gave the group of five students the hint they needed. 'No one left to turn to but Aidios.'

Along those lines, they went to the local chapel, and lo and behold, there she was. Or at least, they found that out after asking her if the wallet was hers. She was a noblewoman with pink hair and light skin, who went by the name Annabelle. She didn't make the best first impression either, seeing as she automatically assumed they were going to rob her. But after they had told her why they were really there, she changed her tune. So much so, that she generously offered half the mira in said wallet, which was quite the ample sum in of itself, to them as a reward.

They couldn't accept such a large sum, of course, so they declined. While she didn't seem too pleased with being unable to reward them, she accepted it nonetheless and thanked them once more.

Task complete, they returned to Lizzie to inform her they had taken care of it. She thanked them as well, and they went on their way to complete the next task.

...

The monster they had been tasked to eliminate was a rather large bird-like creature, which proved to give them a bit of trouble because of it's mobility, but was overall nothing to worry about. The matter of dispatching it was of little difficulty, so they were now backtracking across the West Celdic Highway, on their way back to the town.

"Hey Rean, you said that you and Fie were childhood friends, right?" Elliot questioned.

"Yeah, that's right. Why?" He queried, looking over to his classmate as they continued to tread along.

"Has she always been..." The emerald green eyed sixteen year old hesitated for a moment, unsure how to put it. "...like this?" Were the words he settled on.

"I'm not sure what you mean. Like what, exactly?" The grey tinted, fuschia eyed teen asked for clarification.

"You know..." Eyes shifting over to the girl in question, who was currently walking several paces ahead of them along with Laura, they remained on her for a few moments before returning to the one the orbal staff wielder was conversing with. "...all closed off and quiet. Not to mention scary. And bored. Also morbid, definitely morbid." He specified, the last point especially, thinking back to her comments regarding the gargoyle down in the old schoolhouse as he did.

Rean couldn't help but chuckle at this. "Well, she's always been kind of lackadaisical. Quiet's a fair word, she doesn't talk as much as most people. Closed off though, not really. I mean, at least not compared to before. You think she's closed off now? When we were kids, it took her almost two months before she would even speak to someone outside of my family. And scary? I don't think I could be scared of her if I tried. Don't know where you're getting that from. Actually, on second thought, I take that back. I can see where you're coming from." He corrected himself, as he thought back to some of the comments she had made in Elliot's presence. "As for morbid, uh, well, to be frank, I think she might have just been being honest. Assessing the possibilities and all that." He finished with another chuckle.

"I guess." Elliot conceded with a shrug of his shoulders, not seeming too convinced regardless. "So, she hasn't changed then?"

"Oh, I didn't say that." Rean said with a shake of his head. "She's definitely changed alright. She used to be pretty shy. More playful. Less scary, as you put it. She was just a normal girl. She still is, just different now, is all." He assured his fellow teen.

"People change. No one remains the same forever." Gaius interjected, finally joining the conversation from his position on the other side of Rean, as they continued to walk.

"Exactly." Rean affirmed. "So don't worry about it. And don't feel so intimidated. She doesn't mean any harm by those comments of hers, she's probably even trying to make an effort to socialize with you when she does." He explained. "She's...kind of like a cat, in some ways. In that, she's not the most open and friendly person, but with those she's close to she's really sweet and loving. That part of her hasn't changed in the slightest, trust me." He explicated.

"Wait, a cat?" Elliot repeated with a quirked brow, doing a doubletake as he did, sure he had heard wrong.

Gaius, too, looked a tad confused by the comparison.

"Yeah, a cat. What?" The raven haired teen questioned, noticing their looks.

"I've never heard a person compare someone to a cat before." Elliot simply stated.

"I can't say that I have either." Gaius concurred.

"Just you two wait. Give it two months, three tops, you'll see what I mean. Just watch." Rean told them.

"You know her better than I do, so I can't really argue." The tallest of the three put forth.

"I'll take your word for it. Though I will say that's hard for me to imagine." The shortest of the three replied.

...

"You know, it could just be she's that way with you." Gaius said then, after a few moments of silence between the three.

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?" The swordsman of the group queried, nearly missing a step and tripping as he did.

"Well, people sometimes have others close to them that they're considerably different around compared to their other peers. Such as-" Gaius began to elucidate, only to be interrupted.

"What are you three talking about?" Fie inquired, having noticed them talking out the corner of her eye.

"Nothing really, just passing the time." Gaius answer cooly.

"Nothing?" The short haired girl repeated, slowing to their pace, not entirely convinced.

"Y-yeah, you know, just trivial stuff. Like our studies, combat practice, the windmills here, nothing in particular." Elliot went along with it.

"Yes, I do find the windmills quite fascinating. The way this town harnesses the power of the wind, I admire it." Gaius added.

...

"Alright then." She replied after a few moments, before picking it back up, to where she was walking almost beside Laura once more.

Needless to say, the conversation the three were having continued no further.

...

After returning to town, the five had reported the successful monster extermination to the Market Manager Otto, and had then intended to go straight out to the East Highway to slay the second monster. It didn't work out that way, however, as they ended stopping by the market before leaving, which resulted in them meeting a fellow Thor's student's father. A merchant named Lymon, who, as it turns out, was Becky's dad. They had just meant to talk with him for a few moments before heading on their way, but he offered them each the unique opportunity to run his stall for awhile, saying as he did so that it would serve as a good experience for them, seeing as negotiation played a vital role in such a thing.

Seeing no real reason to turn him down, they took him up on his offer. And one by one, they tried their hands at being a merchant.

...

Currently, it was Elliot's turn, the last of the five to have a go. Just as with every turn before his, the others not on duty watched as he did his best to be a good salesman, Well, almost everyone.

Noticing Fie's absence, Rean took a step away from Laura, Gaius and Lymon, all three of whom were still watching Elliot, and let his gaze wander, searching for the young silver haired girl.

It didn't take him very long to spot her, finding her about ten feet away, looking over the goods at another stall. She appeared to focusing in on one thing in particular though, which the raven haired teen quickly took notice of. A peculiar cat plushy.

* * *

 _"Fie, hey Fie, where are you?" Rean called, as he ascended the steps to the second floor of the Schwarzer homestead. He had been looking for her almost five minutes now, just where was she?_

 _Once he reached the top, he looked around for a moment, before walking over to his door, opening it and taking a peek into his room. "Fie?" Only she wasn't there either._

 _Closing his door, he took a step back, turned around and looked over the guardrail, thinking he might manage to catch a glimpse of her downstairs now that he was up here. He didn't see hide nor hare of her, or anyone for that matter, as just as he already knew, there was no one currently in the house. His father was out hunting, his mother was talking with some of the villagers, and Elise was playing with Luke. As for Fie, well, there was a chance she was in here, but considering he had already checked out the kitchen, living room and his own room, that was beginning to appear to be wrong._

 _The only rooms of note that were really left, were his father's study, his parent's bedroom, and Elise's room. Considering he was on his and Elise's side of the second floor, it only made sense to check her room next. So that's what he did. Over to her door in a few quick strides, he grabbed ahold of her doorknob and began to turn. "Fie?" He spoke her name once more, as he opened the door, revealing the sight of his sister's room as he did._

 _Lo and behold, there she was. Sitting on the floor, a stuffed animal, some kind of fox, in her hands. "There you are, Fie."_

 _"Hmm?" She finally seemed to register the fact that he had been calling her, turning her head to look back at him, as he entered the room._

 _"What's that you got?" The young boy asked her, walking over to her to get a better look._

 _"Just a fox." Was her simple answer, returning her gaze to said animal as she did._

 _"That's Elise's favorite." He stated, before he really took a look at the way she was staring at the stuffed toy. "Have you never seen one before?"_

 _"I have." She contended, without any real vehemence or anything of the like, of course, more just being honest. "I just never got to hold one."_

 _"Never?" Rean repeated, almost baffled by that statement. "You mean you've never had a stuffed animal before?" He questioned._

 _She just shook her head at that._

 _"Why not?" He inquired, incapable of thinking of a reason why a girl her age would never have owned such a thing._

 _"No real use for them in the corp." She answered bluntly, standing as she did, before placing the stuffed fox back where she had first gotten it from, on the other girl's bed._

 _Rean, not even a decade old, wouldn't understand why for a few years to come, but that statement instilled a sense of sadness within him when he heard her speak it._

* * *

"Caught your eye, did it?" The merchant manning the stall asked the young girl, getting her eyes off the doll and on him. "The little thing's called Mishy. Real popular over in Crossbell. I'm sure you can understand why, it's certainly cute. They're not the easiest thing to come by over here though." It was a sales pitch, and they both knew it. However, she did seem genuinely interested in the item, and the man was far from unkind. "I don't have many of'em in stock, but I can sell you one at the low price of five hundred mira. What do ya say?"

Quiet at first, the salesman was completely unable to read the yellow-green eyed girl. But as she did open her mouth to speak, little did he know she was going to turn his offer down, someone else beat her to the punch.

"Sure, why not, I'll buy it."

"What are you doing?" Fie queried with a quirked brow, having turned to face the one the voice belonged to, knowing who it was upon the first word out of their mouth.

"Pleasure doing business with you." The merchant said with a satisfied smirk, taking the mira and handing one of the Mishy plushies over in exchange.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Rean asked his childhood friend, as he took the plushy and put his wallet back in his jacket pocket, before moving away from the stall and to the rest area, which was surprisingly bare at the moment.

"Wasting your mira on some toy." The fifteen year old criticized with half lidded eyes, as she followed him. One would think she wasn't doing just that, because of the bored inflection of her voice. Rean, however, knew better.

"Heh, I don't know about that Fie." He began with the faintest of chuckles. "I don't think I could ever consider buying something for you a waste of my mira." He finished with a smile, holding the plushy out to her as he did, after having come to a stop.

She had no retort for that, eyes opening to their fullest as she took the offered item from him, blinking more than once in surprise, as if closing her eyes and reopening them would change what had just happened. It didn't, of course. She had, admittedly, been taken by surprise, even if it was ever so slightly, so it took her several moments before she said anything at all on the matter. "For me?" Was all she had been able to come up with though.

"Of course for you. Who else would I buy it for?" He questioned the smaller girl. "You told me when we were kids that you had never owned a stuffed animal or doll or anything of the like. Everything considered, I was under the assumption that hadn't changed over the years. So, I thought I'd fix that." He told her, raising his right hand and placing it atop her head, beginning to stroke it as he did.

Fighting back the light blush now playing at her cheeks, Fie, not making any attempt to get Rean to stop stroking her head as she did, met his eyes. And in that moment, she came to understand something that had eluded her until now. "You...you've changed too."

"What's that?"

"You told me that I had changed. So have you." She put forth.

"Oh yeah?" Pulling his hand away, out of habit, he brought it back and began rubbing the back of his own head then, in a somewhat sheepish manner. "Can't say you're wrong."

"For awhile now, I've been wondering what it is about you that's been bugging me. I was so happy to have you back in my life, but almost immediately after you came back, I noticed something was wrong. And whatever it was, I wanted to know, and to help. And I think I know what it is now." As she spoke softly to him, her voice took on a gentle and solicitous nature.

"What?" Eyes widening and arm dropping to his side, the raven haired teen was unsure of what to say in response to this.

"It's not your kindness that's faded, nor is it that big heart you've always had, or your honest, straight forward nature. But something's missing. As far as I can tell, you're not...entirely there."

Incapable of hiding the shock present on his face, Rean did his best to stifle a gasp, only managing to keep it from reaching the ears of others in his efforts.

"And that has something to do with your power, doesn't it?" She inquired, though clearly she already knew the answer. "As well as what you said to the others at the inn...about trying to find yourself." She concluded without need for confirmation. "Could it be...that you're lost?" She questioned him, searching his grey tinted fuschia orbs for an answer.

Unable to find it even after several long moments of searching, she simply stepped forward and embraced her best friend. Dumbfounded, he failed to return the hug. She didn't linger there long, however, pulling away after a few short moments, before turning around and walking away. "I'm going to put this up in the room."

'She saw right through me...' The swordsman thought to himself disbelievingly, almost in a state of shock over what had just occurred. "How did she...?" He wondered to himself aloud, nearly incapable of coming to grips with it.

 _'You're not all here. Until you have come to grips with what you're missing, you will never be capable of progressing further.'_ Master Ka-Fai's words echoed in his head, stirring the emotions within. Fists clenching, he fought the urge to bite down, lest he fill his mouth with blood. 'Why can't I...!?'

"Hey Rean, everything okay?"

"What're you doing over here?"

"Where's Fie?"

The sound of these voices snapped him out of his almost trance like state then, getting him to turn to face the rest of the group.

* * *

After Rean, who failed to tell the other three what had taken place between him and Fie, told them that said girl would be back in a minute, Lymon, being the generous guy he was, offered to buy them all lunch. They had helped him out, so he wanted to repay them. They would have refused, but they didn't get the chance to eat breakfast that morning because of the bandit debacle, it was almost noon, and grumbling stomachs had a way of being persuasive. So, they took him up on his offer.

The fact that Rean and Fie didn't say a single word to one and other throughout the whole meal, didn't even make eye contact, stuck out to the other three as odd. Very odd. They didn't say anything on the subject, however.

By the time they had were done and ready to move out, it was past noon. That still left them with a while before their departure though, considering they only had one request left, even if it was a monster extermination. Which was why they were in no rush as they went out onto the East Celdic Highway, and began to traverse it.

...

"Rean?"

"Huh?" Actually looking at something beside the path they were walking, Rean raised his head and met Laura's gaze. Noticing, as he did, that Fie, Gaius and Elliot were all several paces ahead of them. The swordswoman had been up there before, but had lagged behind a bit, so that she matched her fellow sword wielder's pace.

"Is everything alright?" She inquired, a little concerned. "You and Fie have been acting differently since we returned to the Grand Market."

"Uh, yeah, yeah, don't worry, everything's fine." Rean assured her. "Just...a misunderstanding is all." He decided to go with the vague approach, rather than flatout lying to the girl.

"A misunderstanding?" She repeated. "It wouldn't perhaps be the same kind of misunderstanding you two were involved in back in the old schoolhouse, would it?" She queried, her tone even.

"Haha, yeah, no, it's not anything like that." He told her, rubbing the back of his head in a slightly sheepish manner as he did, giving a few half hearted chuckles at the same time.

"I see. If that's not the problem, then would you mind telling me what is?" She pressed the issue, ever so lightly.

Rean hesitated to answer, not sure if he wanted to say any more on the matter. He didn't feel comfortable sharing their exchange, especially considering it pertained to his power, even if indirectly. But he also didn't want to lie. Honestly, he just wanted to be alone at that moment, but that wasn't currently possible.

Sensing this hesitancy, Laura spoke once more, "I don't mean to push you, especially not after last night. However, if I can help, I'd like to. We are classmates, we should help each other, correct?" That wasn't a question to be answered, they both knew that.

"Like I said, don't sweat it. It's no big deal, really." He insisted without any real vehemence, smiling as he tried to wave her off.

She still wasn't buying it, that was all too clear. But, she went quiet for several moments this time, perhaps while she searched for the right words to say. "If you don't wish to share, then I will not force you to do so. However, know that I am willing to listen when you are ready to talk." She advised, before picking her pace back up and rejoining the others.

'Rean Schwarzer and Fie Claussell...I'll admit, they've caught my interest." The bluenette thought to herself.

The dark haired swordsman didn't get the chance to thank her for saying as such, as she went ahead to the others and he decided it wasn't worth it to follow her. 'She's trying to help, I appreciate that, I really do. But...I'd rather not talk about this, hell, I'd rather not even think about it.'

Gaze wandering to the silver haired girl he had just barely reunited with, Rean watched her as they continued on. 'We haven't even been back together for a month, and already things have been complicated this much.' He thought to himself. 'How did she even figure something like that out? And from a small interaction like that? She must be able to read me like a book..." He conjectured. 'That doesn't change anything though. Just because she can see it too, doesn't mean I'm any closer to resolving this.'

Eyes falling away from his childhood companion and back onto his feet, as well as the path they were traveling, Rean let out a deep sigh. "Shit." He cursed.

...

"Where is it?" Elliot questioned.

"The Market Manager said it would be around here somewhere." Laura mentioned.

"Yeah, but there aren't many places to hide near this gate. So why haven't we spotted it yet?" The orange haired sixteen year old queried.

"I don't sense any monsters in the immediate vicinity." Gaius informed them, taking a quick look around for good measure, but seeing nothing more than the two trees on opposite sides, and the gated entrance to the nature park.

"A battle took place here." Fie notified them of this, after giving the area a once over.

"Huh? How can you tell?" The orbal staff user inquired.

"Just can." Was the younger girl's vague, and unhelpful answer, giving it with a shrug as she did. "I'd say it's a safe bet to assume someone took down the monster we were supposed to kill."

"Hey guys, is it just me...or is something off here?" Rean interjected, taking a couple of steps forward, scrutinizing the area as he did. 'Something's wrong here. But I just can't tell what it is...'

"Actually, you may be right." The well spoken swordswoman agreed.

"Hmm...I can't really say what it is, but yeah, I feel it too." The soft spoken nord concurred.

"Yeah, seems that way." The silver haired fifteen year old affirmed.

"I have no idea what you guys are talking about. What seems weird? How can you even tell in the first place when we've never been here?" Posed the violinist.

"It's hard to explain." Rean started simply. "It's...just a feeling. Kind of like when we sense someone's presence, but different at the same time. The fact that someone up and slayed the monster we were tasked with exterminating is fishy in of itself, considering the Provincial Army wanted nothing to do with helping the citizens of Celdic and all, but when taken into account alongside this feeling..."

"It's difficult to not assume something's up." Fie finished for him.

"Yeah, pretty much." Rean added, nodding his head as he did. "Speaking of which..." He continued, turning toward the entrance of the park as he did. "You guys sense them too, right?"

"Mmm. Ten people" Fie replied. "They're most likely the ones who took out the monster."

"All of them are pretty deep in the park, from what I can tell." Gaius apprised.

"Seeing as the Provincial Army are the only ones around here with the strength to handle monsters, there's a good chance those presences we feel are an unrelated group. And if that's the case, and they are the ones who dealt with the beast, it would be wise to make sure they have no hostile intentions. At the very least, it would be prudent to thank them for their assistance, on behalf of the citizens." Laura expounded.

"Uh, are guys sure about this? It doesn't sound like the best idea..." Elliot vocalized his doubt on the matter.

"Eh, might as well check it out. We've got time." The shortest of the five said.

"It would probably be for the better if we did." The tallest of the five agreed with a nod of his head.

"You guys are gonna outnumber me on this, aren't you?" Sighing in defeat, the timid teen took the best course of action, and simply gave in. "Alright, fine."

"Let's investigate then." Rean told them, moving toward the, as they had noticed before, unlocked gate as he did.

With that decided, they proceeded to enter the Lunaria Nature Park.

* * *

END NOTE: I'll just leave it here for now, until I get the time to write out the battle scene and what comes after it, of course, to completion. Which means the next chapter will be the end of the Celdic Field Study, yay! When it comes out though, who knows. I certainly don't. With how I write and my lack of opportunity to do so, it's completely up in the air. Once more though, you have my apologies regarding this whole matter. Hope you guys can forgive me on this.

Also, before I go, real quick, let's talk about battle auras. I never really saw much consistency on the subject, with a few exceptions of course, such as Sara, Xeno and Leo, as well as Demon Rean and Mcburn, so I can't quite recall what some peoples battle aura colors are, not counting those I just listed, obviously. Since that is the case, and seeing as how this is an AU anyway, I've decided to do the battle auras how I see fit. Meaning they might not match up to the game. So...yeah, not much else to say about that, just thought I'd let everyone know, before someone inevitably ended up pointing it out to me. One thing I will be keeping in mind though, is that, if I recall correctly, I saw several people with similar auras. So unique auras will be somewhat rare. Also, someone with a generic aura, might get a unique one once they reach a certain a level of strength, s'all I'm saying.


	6. The Ruler Of The Forest

jamesb497: Glad your excited for it. Hope everyone else is too. It will take time for that to fully develop, but it's coming, don't worry.

RedBurningDragon: Yeah, it's pretty cool. Yeah, thanks again. Glad you liked it. Yep. Pretty much. Well, here it is. Hope you enjoy it.

Apex85: Thanks. Oh, the backup plan is a coming. Just you wait.

Sor-Rin: Good, I'm happy you like this story. I promise you, it's going to get much, much better as time goes on. No need for waiting any longer, here's the next one.

Once again, thanks to all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update. Winata09, slickman, HotFudgeAndPies, Saint of vice koncor, Soanevalcke, bberr88, cynder93, and XLord31, thank you!

Okay, as I promised, here is the first fight in this story. Hope you guys enjoy it, and you have my apologies for it taking so long.

And with that, let's get into it. Part four of chapter one, here we go. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 ** _ACT I - CHAPTER I - PART IV_**

 ** _,,,_**

The group of students was met with little resistance as they trekked through the Lunaria Nature Park, only halted by the occasional wild animal that decided it didn't like their presence in it's territory and got violent as a result. The scuffles that ensued because of such instances didn't last long, Rean, Fie, Laura or Gaius putting them down with little difficulty. Elliot wasn't too big a fan of the encounters, but that was to be expected, so he simply dealt with it. At the very least, he didn't feel as shaky around enemies as he had during their first foray into the old schoolhouse, so he wouldn't be collapsing anytime soon.

As swiftly as they dealt with the hostile beasts that crossed their path, it still took Group A over an hour to reach the depths of the forest, where, they finally caught sight of the people they had come looking for.

"There they are!" Laura whispered harshly, taking cover with the others to keep from being seen as she did.

Peeking out from behind the wall of rock they hid behind, the five took in the sight of the end of the park, a rather large, wide open grassy clearing, surrounded by walls of rock, forming small cliffs that encircled the area almost completely.

And within this clearing, they spotted five Provincial Army soldiers, who they recognized as the same men from the earlier, as well as the day before at the west highway exit. More important than that was the fact of who was with them, the other four men they saw, the bandits from the market.

Something was amiss however...

'I could've sworn I sensed ten people...' Rean thought to himself, his brow furrowing as he double checked the headcount of the men present, the count racking up to nine once more. 'Where is the tenth?' He wondered, trying to sense them again, to no avail. 'Did I make a mistake?' He was leaning heavily towards yes, as it wouldn't be the first time it had happened. He was aware of just how prone to mistakes he was, after all. 'But didn't Fie, Gaius and Laura sense the same number of people?'

Before he could think any further on it, his attention was pulled to the nine men in the clearing, as their voices reached his ears.

"Did you really have to keep us tied up the whole time? Those ropes were tight, they dug into my sides something fierce." One of the bandits complained.

"Would you shut up about that already? Beside the fact that it's not important, we've been unrestrained now for almost ten minutes. Stop whining about it." His fellow bandit chastised him.

"I'm with him. Those ropes were tight, more than that though, we were sitting ducks the whole time we were walking through this damn park. All it would have taken is one slip up by these soldier boys, and we'd have been done for. Can't defend ourselves when we're bound." The third bandit pointed out.

"I have to agree. You should have at least allowed us to shed those ropes once we had entered the park. No offense, but we would rather not leave our lives in the hands of others." The fourth bandit said.

"I see now how you were bested by two kids, you're all completely incompetent!" Barked the Provincial Army Officer, scowling deeply as he did.

"Excuse me?"

"What was that?"

"What'd you say?"

"Care to say that again?"

"You heard me!" The military officer snapped at them and their responses. "You had one job and you couldn't possibly have bundled it any worse than you did!" To say he was angry would be an understatement.

"Hey! You don't know ho-" The first bandit attempted to explain, only to be cut off.

"One! Job! Steal the merchants goods, smash the stalls and get out of there before anyone saw you. Then we would handle the rest from there. The most difficult part of such a job would be dealing with the provincial outpost, and we were looking the other way! And you still managed to fuck it up!" Nostrils flaring, the highest ranking of the provincial soldiers was clearly on the cusp of a conniption fit.

"Those two were really strong!" One of the bandits tried to defend. "How could we have possibly known tha-"

"They were children!" The provincial officer cut the man's defense short. "How in the blazes could you lose to children!? Two of them at that!?" He demanded to know.

"We had no idea some military students would suddenly show up in the middle of our job, if we had-"

"Just go!" Suddenly shouted the military man, not giving them any further chance to explain themselves.

Taking a moment to compose himself, the officer continued, much calmer as he did. "The deal is off. We'll apply pressure to the citizens some other way. We have no need for buffoons such as the four of you."

"Buffoons!?" Repeated one of the bandits, clearly more than angered by the comment.

"Let's just calm down, we can work this out. We'll get the job done, just as we promised. Just give us a few hours, and then we'll-" The fourth bandit, the leader it seemed, attempted to negotiate.

"We are done here." The provincial army officer shut their exchange down. "We'll be taking our leave. I suggest you do the same." With that, the five soldiers prepared to do as they had said, and take their leave.

Before either party could leave the area though, Group A made their move.

"You're not going anywhere." Rean spoke with authority as he came out into the open, the others following his lead, getting all eyes on them as a result.

"What!?" The first bandit exclaimed in surprise.

"I-It's those students!" The second bandit almost stuttered, their presence clearly making him nervous.

"Them again?" One of the provincial soldiers spoke, their annoyance all too clear.

"Didn't we tell them to stay out our business?" Another soldier added, sharing the sentiment.

"You kids should get out of here, if you know what's good for you." A third soldier told them.

"I don't know what you kids think this is, but it won't do anyone any good to go jumping to conclusions." The fourth soldier advised. "We were just-"

"We've caught you red-handed!" Exclaimed Elliot, interrupting the soldier. "Don't try and deny it."

"And just what is it that you've caught us doing?" The commanding officer queried, eyes narrowing.

"Do not take us for fools. It does not take a genius to figure out what's going on here." Laura retorted.

"You've obviously struck some kind of deal with these bandits." Gaius candidly accused. "You would look the other way while they robbed the Grand Market. They would be allowed to keep the goods, and in return, they create a problem only you can solve. Not to mention the distress it would cause the people of Celdic."

"My guess would be to force the citizens of Celdic to give in and accept the tax increase." Fie supplied.

"Right. All you would have to do is sit back and continue to withhold your aid, until it got to the point where they had no other choice. You already refuse to help them with the monsters in the area, and now with this latest incident, the stolen goods, damaged property and squabbling merchants would hurt the Grand Market's image, especially if it went unresolved. You planned on strong-arming them." Rean surmised, hitting the nail on the head, judging by the growls that came from the provincial men anyways.

Scowl deepening, the provincial army officer's aggravation became almost palpable. "You were warned to keep out of Provincial Army business." He reminded them. "I've had enough of your meddling. Men, apprehend them!" He commanded.

Snapping into position with affirmative sirs, his four subordinates intended to do just that. The bandits, however, had other ideas.

"Better yet, let's just take them out!" The third bandit put forth, eager to do so.

"Yeah, I second that. And since it's just us out here, ain't nobody gonna see a thing." The first bandit agreed.

"The nine of us against the five of them, shouldn't be too difficult." The second bandit remarked, gaining confidence at the aspect.

"I'd say they know too much to be kept alive. All it would take is a few minutes with the right person willing to believe them, and then the nine of us would be in some deep shit. Even rumors of this would be bad...we have to kill them." The leader of the bandits reasoned, drawing his weapon, a semi-automatic orbal rifle, along with his three men, who also wielded orbal rifles.

"You make a fair point. " The Provincial Army Officer admitted, eyeing the students as he considered this.

Despite the threat of death, they looked remarkably unafraid, with the exception of the orange haired one, drawing their weapons, clearly preparing to engage in combat.

"We won't go down so easily." Laura warned them, her bastard sword now at the ready.

"We are military students after all, we are quite familiar with the concept of combat." Gaius added, his cross-spear at his side.

"We won when it was two on four, you really think you have a chance this time?" Fie posed to them, her doubt on the matter worn out on her sleeve, along with her boredom. Nevertheless, her twin gunswords were clasped tightly in her hands.

"Y-You g-guys sure are confident huh?" Elliot questioned his classmates needlessly, his hands shaking a little. He was worried, sure, why wouldn't he be? This was a real combat situation, with real people, who, apparently, were going to be trying to kill them. It would make anyone nervous, anyone normal, that is. He was able to stop the shaking though, as he tightened his grasp on his orbal staff.

"We don't intend to just stand here and let you kill us. We will fight you, and we will beat you." Rean assured them, confident in his classmates strength, dropping into his battle stance as he did.

"Cocky one huh? Fair enough. Let's get'em." The bandit leader ordered.

"You brats. You won't be talking like that for long. Men, attack!" The officer ordered.

And with that, the five on nine skirmish began.

* * *

Atop the walls of rock that surrounded the clearing, obscured from view by the plentiful trees, stood the blue-grey haired, bespectacled man. "Hmph. This is just starting to get sad." He remarked to himself, as he watched the nine grown men below being manhandled by the five teens. Averting his eyes from the pitiful sight, he looked toward the opposite direction of the town of Celdic, taking a moment to search the area with his eyes. 'Where is he?' He wondered to himself, looking for a sign of human life or just general movement, of which there was zero. 'He's late.'

The sound of the beatdown going on below drew the man's attention back to the events happening down there, to see it going exactly as he thought it would. "They truly are pathetic." He remarked further as the soldiers and bandits were dispatched, shaking his head as he did.

The fight, if you could even call it that, was over and the students stood victorious over the downed adults. As words were exchanged between the groups, the violet eyed man once more looked away from them and toward the outlying area of the forest. 'It seems I'll be waiting for plan B a little while longer...' He thought to himself. "That's alright, I'll just take care of these brats in the meantime." He said, as he pushed his glasses back up on his face, before pulling something out from his jacket. Taking a moment to inspect it, the thirty something year old gave a little grin. What was it? A simple, silver flute. If only that was all it was...

* * *

Within the span of only a few minutes, the nine grown men had been handily defeated by a group of military students. And now, they lie on the ground, disarmed, battered and bruised.

"This has to be some kind of joke...they're kids!" One of the provincial soldiers exclaimed incredulously.

"Five teens beat the nine of us...that really does sound like some kind of joke." One of the bandits commented.

"How pitiful. That hardly even qualified as a warm-up." Laura vocalized her disappointment.

"Tell me about it." Fie said with a yawn.

"Well, with Instructor Sara's training exercises, warm-ups take on a whole new meaning." There was a good deal of relief in Elliot's voice, as well as a dash of levity, for good reason too. That little fight had gone a lot better than he thought it would. He didn't even get a single scratch on him!

"True." Gaius simply agreed.

"What kind of curriculum do you have!?" Demanded a provincial soldier, wanting desperately to know what they were being taught that would let them come out on top in this situation, without breaking a single sweat at that.

"We got beat by kids! TWICE! What the hell!?" Another of the bandits vociferated.

"At this point, I think we might as well give up on being bandits. I just don't see how we'll come back from this." The bandit leader told his three fellows piteously, clearly crushed over their second defeat by teenagers.

"I can't believe this! We are soldiers of the great provincial army! To be brought our knees by a bunch of children, how humiliating!" Growled the provincial army officer, his face contorted with anger and shame.

"Bottom line. We won, fair and square." Rean bluntly stated. "I'd suggest you all turn yourselves in and spare yourselves the further humiliation of being handed over to the proper authorities by us 'children'."

This was met with several choice words from the men, almost all of them curse words, but that was to be expected. They were angry, hurt, humiliated and above all else, they were going to be forced to comply, one way or the other. All they could really do was lash out verbally, so they did so.

The group of students were hardly bothered by the fact that they were being sworn at, judging by their lack of reaction. However, it did pose a problem, in that it all but drowned out the sound in the distance...

"Hmm...?" Elliot looked back behind him, as if hearing a whisper in his ear, before turning around completely and beginning to scan his surroundings, a look of confusion on his face.

"Elliot?" Rean spoke his friend's name, curious as to what he was doing.

"Is there a problem?" Gaius questioned

"I-I don't know, I just...I just thought I heard the sound of a flute..." The violinist answered, his confusion intensifying, as he just couldn't figure out where it had come from.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Huh!?" Rean exclaimed in bewilderment.

"What was that!?" Elliot half whimpered, half squawked.

"Sounded like the roar of a giant beast." Fie answered nonchalantly, clearly not worried by it even in the slightest.

"I concur." Laura agreed, though still composed, clearly more worried about it than her fellow female.

"A g-g-gia-giant b-b-bea-beast!?" The timid sixteen year old stuttered fearfully. "Aidios, why!?" He inquired pathetically.

"What the HELL was THAT!?" The bandit leader queried, clearly very concerned by it. His men shared his concern, it made apparent by their echoing of his question.

"Oh, no...no...no, no, no!"

"This is not good. This is not good! We've gotta get out of here!"

"Oh shit, oh shit! It's that monster! It's coming!"

These fearful reactions from the provincial soldiers most certainly piqued the teens curiosity on the matter, but more importantly, it gave them more reason to be on their guard. And even if it didn't, what happened next did.

Rean, Fie, Laura and Gaius all snapped their heads in the opposite direction of the entrance to the clearing, as they all finally felt the presence of the beast.

"I can sense it, here it comes!" Gaius hurriedly warned the others, even though they had all, excluding Elliot, felt it for themselves.

Not a moment later, the utmost back wall of rock was knocked in, hundreds of pieces of debris flying in almost every direction as a result, while a dust cloud of large proportions was kicked up as well.

The clumps of rock that rained down on the clearing almost failed to even register, as the shadow of a monster loomed within the cloud of dust, occupying most of everyone's attention.

"I-It's G-G-Grunoja..." The CO of the provincial army men muttered, eyes wide as dinner plates, frozen with fright.

"Grunoja...?" Rean repeated the name, looking back at the scared witless man as he did. The other eight adults weren't faring much better, gawking at the huge shadow in the cloud of dust, while making no attempt once so ever to run away.

Returning his attention to the beast, the seventeen year old swordsman was finally able to catch a glimpse of this thing, as the cloud had dissipated enough to allow decent visibility.

This Grunoja was a massive baboon with black and fiery orange fur spread across it's hulking form, with yellow fur running down the sides of it's neck, as well as white fur down the length of it's throat, till it faded into it's chest, which led into it's white-blonde colored underbelly. The only part of it not covered in fur, were it's crimson colored knuckles and ebony log-like fingers. It also had stone-like pauldrons protruding from it's shoulders, dozens of strange growths coming out of it's back and running down it's spine, and two sets of flat ended horns sticking out of it's head. The first pair was relatively small, pointed upward and darkly colored, while the second were somewhat large, pointed straight out from it's face and are lightly colored. Finally, it had a mouthful of razor sharp teeth, and frighteningly wild, yellow, bloodshot eyes.

"We're dead, we're all dead..."

"What the fuck is that thing!?"

"We need to go! We have to run!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

"No! NO! AIDIOS, PLEASE, NO!"

As the provincial soldiers and bandits vocalized their terror, the monster began sizing all the humans up, it's nostrils flaring, clearly not happy with the fact that they were in it's territory.

"A giant baboon...?!" Elliot questioned with some incredulity, not really sure whether it was or not, not to mention having never heard of such a creature.

"It's nearly ten arge tall." Gaius noted aloud.

"I believe we are now dealing with the ruler of this forest." Laura assessed, none arguing with her on the matter, clearly in agreement.

Looking back at the frightened men , she could clearly see they were rooted in place by their fear, the soldiers and bandits weren't going anywhere anytime soon. And with that creature, which would surely turn hostile at any moment, they would surely be slaughtered. Turning back to Rean, she asked him, "What would you suggest, Rean?"

"Ugh..." The swordsman wasn't too keen on the only course of action left to them, rather annoyed at the fact that they would have to protect their recently defeated opponents, but it was better than the alternative of letting them be killed. "Well, they may be criminals, but we can't just leave them to die! We're going to have to fight it!" He informed his classmates, as he drew his sword from it's sheathe once more.

"Understood!" The well spoken swordswoman replied, before proceeding to draw her blade.

"Fine by me." The stoic former jaeger responded, getting into her battle stance with her twin gunswords as she did.

"Looks like we don't have much of a choice." The soft-spoken nord acknowledge, as he brandished his cross-spear.

"Aidios, help us...!" The timid violinist implored the goddess, his orbal staff at the ready.

Letting loose a roar, the baboon creature finally came to the conclusion that the humans were worth killing and proceeded to charge.

* * *

Having concealed the flute in his jacket once more, the bespectacled man simply opted to stand back and watch as the scene unfolded below. "I might have riled the beast up a bit more than I needed to, but regardless, it'll get the job done. And that's all that matters."

* * *

As Grunoja rushed them, the five teens scattered, Rean and Fie leaping to the right, and Laura, Gaius and Elliot dodging to the left, effectively avoiding the mountain of a creature. Now behind their enemy, they took the few short moments it bought them to link up with their ARCUS units, Rean and Fie linking together, while Laura, Gaius and Elliot did the same.

Coming to a hasty stop, the beast whirled back around to face them, growling as it did, only to be met with lead, as Fie opened fire with her gunswords, pelting it with bullets. The metal projectiles hit their mark, colliding with the thing's right side, however, they did little more than aggravate it. They lost their momentum after colliding with its skin, falling to the ground shortly after, leaving little more than tiny bruises. Not that Fie let that stop her from continuing to unload her ammo.

Eyes focusing in on the one who was attacking it, the huge simian had every intention of squashing the pest, especially since said pest continued to fire away. Before it could move to do just that, it was assaulted by several balls of blue arts focused energy, popping as they collided with it's left shoulder and the left side of its neck, courtesy of Elliot. They served as an annoyance and nothing more, but they did get its attention, even if only for a moment.

Gaius took advantage of this, closing the distance between him and the monster, and beginning to carve away at it's tree trunk of a left arm. Tearing at it's wrist with the side-blades of his spear, before following up by stabbing into it with the head of the spear itself, managing to inflict a superficial wound, a noticeable scratch, as he did. Unable to pierce it's flesh deep enough to draw blood though, the nord opted to jump back some feet, just in time to avoid the rising and dropping of the arm he had been engaged with, the savage being obviously having intended to crush him with it.

Distracted, Grunoja failed to notice Laura, who had come up on his left leg, before winding back and swinging her blade a full hundred eighty degrees and lodging her bastard sword into the back of it's ankle, managing to break it's skin in doing so. First blood drawn, said ruby liquid covering the edge of the noble girl's blade, it was a small victory. Not that it mattered for more than a moment, as the blue-haired teen pulled her weapon from it's flesh and proceeded to backpedal a dozen or so feet, for her safety. For good reason, as the baboon lashed out, bringing it's huge right fist around and slamming it into the same spot she had been standing.

Meanwhile, Rean had encroached upon the monster's right leg and began slicing it up, his blade barely doing more than his soft spoken friend's spear had done. Not that he let that deter him, continuing to whittle away at the massive limb, cutting and cutting at it's rock-hard hide, until he too finally drew the red life substance from the towering beast. Going even farther than his fellow sword user, he dealt multiple minor wounds to the gigantic simian, dealing it three slash marks that bled. He would have dealt it more, but was forced to retreat, as the ruler of the forest lifted the same leg he had been attacking, and brought it back down for an almost ground-shaking stomp.

Letting loose an enraged roar, Grunoja brought both arms up and brought them racing back down, slamming them into the earth with enough force to shake the ground beneath those who stood upon it, in doing so, it finally got the two long-range attackers to let up. Not wasting even a moment, it broke into a sprint, gunning for them in particular.

Both of the youngest members of the group were able to avoid the speeding beast. Fie wasn't perturbed in the slightest and jumped out of it's path with little fanfare, landing close to her childhood friend as she did. While Elliot's reaction was, well, much less composed. Eyes wide as dinner plates, he was horrified by the creature galloping toward him, intent on crushing him into nothing, and proceeded to yelp and run for it. Nevertheless, he managed to get out of the way in time, just barely, and really, that's all that mattered.

Far from done, the creature skid to a stop and spun back around to face it's little enemies once more. Rather than charge them again, it instead opted for a long range attack of it's own, driving it's hands into the ground, punching through the earth with it's thick fingers, and scooping up palm sized chunks of dirt, grass and rock, leaving craters as it did. Taking aim, it tossed the big chunks of earth at them, one sent hurdling at Fie and Rean, and the other at Gaius, Elliot and Laura.

Diving to safety, the five slid across the ground a few feet after hitting the ground, nearly meeting in the center of the circular clearing as they did, while the meshed together clumps of rock, grass and dirt impacted the spots they had just been and broke apart, causing the remains of said clumps to scatter across the area. As the downed adults, a couple dozen feet away, huddled up against a wall of rock, began coughing because of this, accidentally breathing in the dirt, the violent beast came dashing toward the teens yet again.

Jumping to their feet, three of them, Elliot, Laura and Gaius, hurriedly got out of dodge, running one way or the other to escape their enemy's path. Rean and Fie, however, instead chose to break into sprints, continuing to flee in the same direction the creature was charging, despite the fact that it was catching up far too quickly for comfort. Nevertheless, they continued this pursuit for a number of heart pounding moments, their classmates watching after them with disbelief at the craziness of such an action, until they figured out what they were doing. Just as it clicked for them, the childhood friends split, Fie leaping gracefully to the left, and Rean throwing himself to the ground to the right, rolling several feet as a result, before recovering mid-roll and getting to his feet.

Grunoja would have changed direction and gone after at least one of them, unfortunately for it, by the time they had ducked out of danger, it was too late for it to turn or even slow down, proceeding to careen into part of the wall of rock surrounding the grassy clearing, just as it began trying to turn.

As it crashed into the wall of rock, crushing a significant portion of it, nearly tearing it down as a result, hundreds of pieces of it crumbling to the ground and a great dust cloud forming as a byproduct, Group A regrouped in the center of the clearing, preparing for their next offensive. The two youngest members of the group got a head start on the others in that regard, firing a salvo of orbment energy and bullets at the back of the wild beast through the dust, hitting their target more often than not in spite of the poor visibility, the female of the two excelling in that regard as it was doubtful she missed even once.

Pulling itself out of the rubble it created, more rock tumbling down and hitting the ground as a result, the monster turned around, clearing most of the dust away with a swipe of it's massive left arm as it did. Zeroing in on the ants it had yet to crush, the enormous primate snarled viciously, somehow looking even more crazed and angry than it did before. It's eyes almost completely bloodshot now, it was clear that what little patience and composure it had was now gone, the fact that it was being bombarded with more metal projectiles and orbs of energy didn't help matters in that regard.

They would now be facing the true extent of it's strength and savagery. Anticipating this, they were prepared to act, not hesitating for even a moment as it let out a roar and came speeding towards them yet again. First Fie ceased with her firing, before breaking off to the right, circling around, Gaius did the same to the left, while Laura and Elliot backed up a number of feet.

Leaving just Rean, who had sheathed his blade and pulled out his ARCUS unit. "ARCUS, activate!" As it began to lightly glow in his left hand, he threw his right out in front of him, taking aim at the giant enraged baboon. "Fire Bolt!" A split-second later, a large fiery orb had taken form in front of the dark haired teen, before being sent flying at the oversized creature.

It had little chance to dodge with the speed of the man-made magic, the orb of flame hitting it dead in the chest, immediately expanding upon impact, dealing a decent amount of concussive impact, as well as scorching the area it covered, the entirety of the space between both of it's shoulders. This effectively stopped the ruler of the forest in it's tracks, if only for a moment, as it hissed in pain and slowed to a stop, the flames fading away and leaving only minor burns behind in their place.

Singed fur, a negligible sense of pain, and perhaps a first-degree burn beneath said fur, that was all the basic art had dealt to the monster. Regardless, it served it's purpose, as it bought them the few moments they needed.

Elliot and Laura began using arts of their own, the noble girl using her ARCUS to launch her own Fire Bolt, while the musician raised his orbal staff a little, it glowing for a brief moment, before pieces of the ground began uprooting themselves and slamming together in front of the orange-haired teen. Suspended in front of the staff user as they continued to lump together, the forming chunk of rock grew larger and larger until it was bigger than a normal man's head, with a sharpened tip to boot.

"Needle Shoot!" The moment it finished forming, it was launched at the group's shared enemy, ramming right into it's face, just moments after Laura's Fire Bolt had, breaking apart upon impact and dealing further concussive impact, it failed to pierce it's skin even with it's pointed end, however.

Grunting in pain, the beast was wide open as it's head was knocked back from the impacts, which Rean, Fie and Gaius all quickly capitalized on. Rean attacked from the front, managing to drive his blade into the wild being's right knee with a strong stab of his blade, sinking it almost to the hilt in it's flesh. While Gaius did about the same, finally managing to puncture it's flesh with a mighty thrust of his spear, forcing the entirety of it's head into the side of it's right leg. Fie attacked the left leg instead, burying the whole of both blades of her gunswords into it's left kneecap.

Crying out, Grunoja let it's assailants know they had finally done some real damage, the three leaping away to safety, failing to notice as they did, that they had unconsciously linked together with their ARCUS units, Gaius and Rean now linked, as well as Gaius and Fie.

It wasn't until several moments later, after the monster had lashed out, trying to get one of them and failing, that they realized they had linked. They came to this realization because of the fact that, as Fie prepared to continue the attack, the other two found themselves getting ready to jump back into the fray as well, intending to cover her as she did her thing. Using this to their advantage, they got to work.

Thanks to their link with Gaius, Laura and Elliot knew it was time to crank up the heat, so the latter began letting loose more orbal focused balls of energy, and the former closed in and joined in on the assault.

Rean once more attacked from the front, Gaius from the left again as well, while Laura took the right, leaving Fie the freedom to do so from anywhere and however it suited her best. And she did just that, blasting the savage animal with her gunswords, circling around him continuously as she did, dividing the thing's attention amongst all four of them. In doing this, they lowered the chances of being attacked, and raised the chances of being able to evade any attack that did come.

As for when Grunoja did commit to trying to squash, mash or crush one of them, Fie made him pay for it. Leaping up and delivering multiple slashes to his arms, shoulders or back, and sometimes his exposed neck, drawing blood with each and every single one, increasing the pain it was in, bit by bit.

This occurred numerous times in an extremely short period, just a few minutes, but it began to add up. Whether the beast was aware of this, or was just fed up with being cut up, it forced them to break their formation, as it let out yet another roar, before slamming both arms down onto the ground, causing it to shake, and even crack where it was hit, a single one in the length of almost a foot.

While Rean, Laura and Gaius had to retreat to avoid getting smashed into gory messes, Fie did not, once more punishing the simian for such actions. Only this time, she used a much more bold method, having bounded upward almost a dozen feet, and buried her weapons into the monster's lower back, bringing more blood as she did.

Snarling venomously, the savage being turned it's head to try and get a look back at the source of this new pain it felt, only to feel it more, as the weapons were pulled from it's flesh, before being implanted again, this time higher, drawing more of it's red life liquid. Growling to further state it's displeasure, the animal raised it's right arm and tried to reach back and grab ahold of whatever was causing this. Yet again though, before it could, the offending objects were removed and then planted in it's back, higher once more.

The others attempted to get it's attention away from her, but were forced back as it smashed it's fists into the ground again, which allowed Fie to climb higher, now getting close to the top, and sink her gunswords into it's hide another time.

More than fed up, the monster began trying to shake the pest off, all the while reaching back with it's arms in hopes of managing to get a hold of it. This did pose a problem, as the former jaeger was nearly knocked off, the young girl having to abandon her grip on her gunswords, and instead grasp onto the growths coming out of the king of the forest's back to continue holding on.

This didn't stop Fie though, keeping cool as ever, she reached out with her leg and kicked one of her gunswords in the back of the grip, in an attempt to pierce the monster's flesh further, and inflict even further damage to it. And it most certainly worked.

Making a noise somewhere between a growl and a strangled gasp, the creature whirled around, returning to it's original position, managing to dislodge it's tiny assailant as he did, the silver-haired girl having been in the middle of retrieving her armaments making this possible. But rather than let her fall, it acted quick and snatched her out of the air, wrapping it's giant, meaty fingers around her tiny body, enclosing her completely, with the exception of her head, in it's grasp. And to make things even worse, her twin gunswords had fallen to the ground below, leaving her defenseless.

Needless to say, the creature began squeezing immediately, exerting pressure in an intent to crush her small form, nostrils flaring, clearly beyond pissed. And while she did struggle, using all her strength to fight and try to force herself out of it's hold on her, she made very little progress, while it's grip only grew tighter, and came ever closer to killing her. She was most certainly feeling the pressure, as she gasped in pain, eyes shut tight as she did her best to keep from screaming.

"FIE!" Her classmates cried below.

Rean was the first to take action, his fear for her safety driving him to act. Bending his knees, he took the Eight Leaves One Blade, Fourth Form stance, sheathing his blade as he did, but not letting go of the grip of his tachi, holding onto the top of the sheathe with his left hand at the same time. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the flow of his energy, focusing it, causing a hue of white-blue energy to begin emanating from his sheathed weapon.

Technique at the ready, his eyes snapped open and he proceeded to draw his blade with great speed. "Arc Slash!" In doing this, he created and unleashed an arc-shaped shock wave of energy, sending it flying at Grunoja, going too fast for the monster to do more than notice it, before it made contact with it's left leg. Cleaving into it's flesh with bloody success, the crimson liquid splattering all over the ground, the arc shaped energy shock wave attempted to sever the beast's leg from the kneecap on down.

However, it lacked the necessary power to do this, and dissipated into nothingness before getting more than halfway through all the flesh, meat and bone in it's path. Nevertheless, the most damage yet had been dealt, a serious wound finally inflicted, leaving a deep, bloody gash on the leg as proof.

Howling in agony, Grunoja's grip faltered to the point where Fie was able to free herself, taking the chance to leap off it's hand and land gracefully on the ground, scooping up her twin gunswords as she did, like she had done it a hundred times before. Not wasting a moment, she began unloading on the huge baboon, firing continuously as she backed away.

Balance lost, Grunoja stumbled for the briefest of moments, giving them the opportunity they needed, and that Gaius seized. Sprinting toward the monster, the soft spoken nord came to a hasty stop, now just under the beast, taking advantage of it's position and exposed underbelly.

Pulling his cross-spear back, Gaius focused his energy, causing wind imbued with a green glow to begin swirling around the head of his weapon, building and building in strength as he continued to concentrate. "Gale Stinger!" Thrusting his spear forward, he launched the green blast of wind at his target, the center of the gigantic simian's underbelly, where it made impact just a moment later, pushing forward against the resistance it met from the stone-like skin of such a large creature.

It pushed on for a few moments, beginning to dissipate as it did, only seconds away from fading out of existence, when, finally, it gained ground. It managed to pierce the tough hide of the king of the forest, spilling even more of it's blood in the process, only adding to it's blood loss as it pushed even further in, twisting, turning, whirling and digging deeper into it's flesh, so much so that it caused the wild animal to cry out once more, before the wind finally vanished.

The second serious wound inflicted, Group A was officially now on a roll. Adrenaline pumping, they once more unconsciously linked, finishing their formation by Rean and Fie linking with both Laura and Elliot. Moving in unison, they all performed several backsteps, in spite of the fact that they were all varying distances from each other, to put distance between them and Grunoja, as it lashed out wildly, swinging both arms in a rage, attempting to hit at least one of them, to no avail.

Refusing to allow their momentum to fade, they remained on the offensive, in the hopes of keeping their enemy on the defensive, so as to avoid sustaining any injuries and to end this battle as quickly as possible.

In that regard, Fie stuck to her tactic of constant fire, covering the animal in bruises galore, some bullets even hitting previous struck spots and managing to break the skin and cause a bit of blood to begin trickling.

Elliot went with another art, raising his staff a bit, it glowed for a moment, and a large orb of water formed in front of him. "Aqua Bleed!" In that moment, the orb was sent jetting at the big baboon, striking it in the face, dealing concussive impact as the water structure broke apart, while also wetting it's fur.

Gaius too opted for long range, retrieving his ARCUS from his pocket, it beginning to glow as he threw his right hand out in front of him, and a large green ball of compressed air formed adjacent to him. "Air Strike!" It was quickly sent soaring, aimed directly at the same target Elliot's art had hit, the beast's face. It struck a moment later, breaking apart upon impact and pelting the thing's head with wind, creating minor lacerations and dealing concussive impact.

Once more, the gigantic creature was left completely open, head knocked back and balance questionable because of it's mounting injuries, it was all but defenseless. Rean capitalized on this, having rushed over to the monster, stopping just a few feet from it's right leg. Bending his knees, he assumed the Fourth Form stance, holding onto his sheathe with his left hand as he sheathed his tachi with his right, shutting his eyes as he did.

"Autumn Leaf Cutter!" Eyelids snapping open, Rean proceeded to dash forward at top speed, simultaneously drawing his blade as he did and slashing his target, in this case, Grunoja's right leg, as he dashed by.

Coming to a stop a foot or so behind the mammoth sized simian, he straightened his legs and stood upright once more, turning around just in time to see the deep slash mark he left in his enemy's flesh spurt blood. It wasn't quite as deep as the nasty gash he had left on the animal's other leg, but it would do.

Voicing it's renewed pain, Grunoja howled, stumbling, before losing balance completely and falling forward, slamming it's fists into the ground, creating several medium-sized cracks in doing so, as it attempted to keep from landing on it's face. It's height almost halved by such a position, it was left vulnerable.

Capitalizing on that, Laura came rushing in to deliver a follow up attack, getting a running start before leaping upward, gaining more than a dozen feet of air, lifting her bastard sword high above her head as she did. "Armor Breaker!" Gravity bringing the blue haired girl back down, she assisted it by forcing her weight downward, putting her entire body behind a downward swing of her blade, hacking into the back of Grunoja's exposed neck with great force. The weapon tore into the baboon's flesh to the point that steel met bone, inflicting a grave wound, a large amount of blood spurting from it as a result.

No roaring or howling ensued, the only sound coming from the noble girl landing back on the ground. All eyes were on the silent beast, watching as it remained stock-still for a number of moments, before finally, it's arms gave out and it proceeded to collapse on it's face, the ground shaking from the force of the landing.

Panting, they were all panting. Rean, Fie, Laura, Gaius and Elliot. Fie noticeably less so, and Elliot noticeably more so. Regardless, they were, for the most part, completely free of injury, with the exception of minor scrapes and bruises, of course. That, combined with the fact that the monster was down for the count, and this was most assuredly a victory for Group A. Only one thing left to do.

Taking a moment to locate the nine adults they had thrashed earlier, they noticed them cowering against an untouched part of the rock wall surrounding the clearing. Now they just had to drag them back to Celdic, and-

"There it is again!" Elliot exclaimed suddenly. "That's the same flute I heard being played earlier, I swear!" He insisted, eyes darting about as he attempted to locate the source of the noise.

"I hear it too this time." Rean commented.

"So do I." Gaius informed.

As the three teenage boys began looking about for the source of the sound, they almost failed to notice the movement behind them, just barely catching sight of it in time, and jumping back to safety, Laura and Fie doing the same.

Slamming it's fists into the ground, Grunoja raised it's head, it's eyes now noticeably entirely consumed with red, being bloodshot to hell and back. Forcing itself off the ground, it proceeded to open it's maw and let loose a deadly cry, one so intense and powerful, that the sound waves it caused almost seemed to physically reverberate through the air. "RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"COVER YOUR EARS!" Elliot shouted at the top of his lungs, as he did the same.

The cry ringing throughout the clearing, it wreaked havoc on the eardrums of those around, the nine men having fallen to the ground and begun writhing around in agony, blood leaking from their ears as they screamed their lungs out. Even Group A, who had their ears firmly covered, were unable to escape the pain inflicted, grimacing as their bodies felt like they were being shook about from the sheer force of the cry.

This went on for who knows how long, to the point where the five teens were able to regain their wits and focus on what they needed to do, in spite of their state of shakiness and pain, keep the soldiers and bandits from being killed. So, following Rean's lead as they did, said raven-haired teen being the one to move first, they made their way over to the suffering men, keeping their ears covered all the while.

Before they even made it over to them, the earsplitting cry of the beast had come to an end. Uncovering their ears, they chanced a glance at the monster, to see it dashing at the men they were supposed to keep alive, moving faster than ever before. Upping their pace, they managed to intercept the king of the forest, cutting it's path to the nine men off.

It gave them no chance to attack however, flying into a frenzy, it flung both fists at them, from opposite directions, managing to nail both Laura and Gaius as it did. Sending them both flying, the former to the right, and the latter to the left, the two teens were taken off their feet with nothing more than a yelp of pain and surprise. Landing nearly at opposite ends of the clearing, the two teens who had been struck rolled a number of feet before finally coming to a stop. Even though they had partially dodged, only being scraped by the huge fists, which prevented them from taking any major or lethal damage, it was still more than enough to send them packing.

"GAIUS! LAURA!"

Giving them no more time than it required to call their classmates names in concern, Grunoja proceeded to bring it's arms up, before slamming them down, fist first into the ground. Not stopping there, it pulled them back up and smashed them back down, one after the other, before raising it's arms and doing the same thing again and again, cracking the ground more and more each time, beginning to riddle it with cracks. It kept going and going, beating on the ground violently and rapidly, roaring furiously as it went berserk.

The soldiers and bandits, far too close to the impact zone for anyone's comfort, all scrambled to their feet and tried running for it, screaming for their lives as they tripped and fell over themselves in their attempt to get away. It was messy and unorganized, but they did manage to at least to put a decent amount of distance between them and the rampaging beast, before their attempt fell apart completely and they collapsed onto the ground in a heap, that is. Due to loss of equilibrium, courtesy of the simian's cry from before, it should have been expected.

The ground shaking from all the force of the mammoth sized animal pounding on it with it's fists of fury, to the point it felt like an earthquake, Rean, Fie and Elliot had to fight to stay on their feet. Struggling to keep upright, they tried to maneuver to safety and get out of dodge, and once they had done so, they fully intended to regroup and take the offensive one last time and end this battle.

It didn't go as they had intended it to, however...

Finally losing out to the tremors, Elliot lost his balance, which Grunoja spotted immediately, and abandoned it's task of turning the ground into dust, and instead pivoted forward, bringing it's right arm careening toward the small-framed sixteen year old.

"ELLIOT!"

Acting quickly, Rean rushed forward and shoved his younger friend out of the way, the boy hitting the ground and sliding a number of feet, just as the hulking arm of the beast reached him. Slamming into him with more force than an orbal powered automobile, the length of the simian's arm crashed into Rean's body with crushing impact, shattering all of his ribs instantly, taking him off his feet and sending hum hurdling backward. He only came to a stop when he collided with part of the wall of rock surrounding the area, his form driven several feet into it, creating an indentation in the shape of himself.

"REAN!" His friends screamed his name, only to be drowned out by the seventeen year old's own cry of agony.

Elliot hurriedly climbed to his feet, grabbing Rean's sword as he did, which had fallen from his grasp when he was struck, Laura and Gaius reaching their feet as well, before the three went running to their classmate's aid.

...

Meanwhile, Fie, who had leapt away from the danger out of pure instinct, directed her attention to the monster who had just harmed her best friend. Eyes narrowing and wearing a deep scowl, she proceeded to rush the damn thing. It attempted to swat at her, but she merely jumped and leapt to and fro to avoid it's attacks, showing her acrobatic prowess as she did.

Bounding up onto it's swinging arm, the silver haired girl then kicked off it's fist and shot herself up towards it's head, where she landed, doing so right between it's eyes, on it's nose. Not giving it time to shake her off, she pulled a brick of plastic explosive from her coat and planted it straight onto it's forehead.

Kicking off it's face, she used the momentum to backflip away, avoiding another swipe of it's monstrously big arms as she did, and landed ever so gracefully on the ground. Pulling the little black detonator from her skirt pocket, she pressed the button on it, and set off the explosive device. "Payback Time."

As the brick exploded, consuming the creature's head entirely in smoke and flames, it let out an ear-piercing shriek of agony. Beginning to stumble, clawing and grasping and pawing at it's face, as it's body shook and trembled, it was apparent that critical damage had been dealt.

...

Finally managing to free his body from the rock, Rean fell a few feet down and hit the ground, catching himself on all fours, hacking up a mouthful of blood as he did, it splattering on the ground between his hands. The searing agony he was in was incredible, every inch of his torso felt like it was on fire, his upper half sending shocks of intense, hot pain through him continuously, without end. An ordinary man would have passed out from such a thing.

"Rean!"

The concerned voices of Gaius, Elliot and Laura reached his ears, causing him to look up, to see them coming to a stop before him. Without him even asking them to, they reached down and began hoisting him up onto his feet.

"Are you okay?" Elliot inquired, voice a little shaky, clearly worried out of his mind for his friend.

"Can you walk?" The gentle nord asked of him.

"We need to get you medical attention, now." Laura stated.

"I'm fine, don't...don't worry about me." He brushed their concern off, cringing in pain as he did. "How are the two of you doing?" He went on to query the two who had also been hit.

"We were able to avoid the worst of it. We had already halfway dodged by the time we were hit." The well spoken swordswoman informed him.

"We've probably got at least one or two broken bones, but we'll be fine for now." Gaius added.

"Good." Rean said with a nod. "Then you should be fine to back Fie up."

"Right, you guys do that, I'll stay here with-" The timid violinist began, only to be interrupted.

"No, you go with them." He told the younger boy.

"What!? But you're injured! Someone needs to get you somewhere safe!" Elliot exclaimed.

"Elliot's right. Gaius and I will assist Fie, while you-" Laura, like Elliot, was cut off.

"I'll be fine. Please, just go and help Fie." Rean insisted, making it a point to look each of them in the eyes as he did. There would be no argument on this. "We need to focus on taking that monster down. Once that's done, then we can deal with my injuries."

Silent for a few moments, none of the three were sure what to say. Eventually though, they reluctantly agreed.

"I appreciate it." He told them with a small smile, it completely evident to the others that he was fighting to not show his pain as he did.

As they, reluctantly, left him to go rejoin the battle, Elliot hung back for a second and returned his tachi to him. "Thanks." With that, the orange-haired teen followed after the others, leaving Rean to support himself.

Stumbling as he attempted to stay on his feet, Rean winced while sucking in a sharp breath of air, suddenly feeling breathless because of the pain flaring throughout his abdomen, courtesy of him trying to stand on his own. At this point, it was a safe bet that more than just his ribs were broken. But, obviously, the swordsman wasn't sure of the specifics. All he knew without a doubt, was that he was in a hell of a lot of pain.

Forcing himself upright, the raven-haired boy watched as Grunoja stabilized itself, the smoke from the explosion long gone, snarling wildly as it whirled it's head to and fro, for good reason. As it turned out, that explosion had destroyed one of it's eyes, it now just a chunky, gory mess. Blinded in one eye, it's field of vision was now halved. And as Gaius, Elliot and Laura rejoined the fight, the four went on to take advantage of that fact, attacking it from it's blind spot, while also dodging it's wild swings, the beast howling in rage as it continued to miss it's targets time and time again.

Unable to hold it back, Rean proceeded to cough up more blood, as he began forcing himself forward, walking ever closer to the action, no one noticing because of being preoccupied with their simian enemy. After making it two dozen or so paces, the black-haired teen began taking several rapid intakes of oxygen, ignoring the bitter taste of iron on his tongue, wiping the blood from his mouth onto the left sleeve of his jacket as he did, and came to a stop

Tightening his grip on his tachi, Rean took one last deep breath, before closing his eyes and beginning to focus intently, raising his sword arm over his head as he did. He bent his elbow and pointed the tip of his blade downward toward the ground, his weapon barely more than an inch in front of his face, while bringing his left hand up and letting it hover over the center of the steel blade. Using said hand as a focal point, the seventeen year old channeled his energy, semi-consciously imbuing his weapon with it. "Flames, gather on my blade!" He commanded.

And so they did, the blade of the tachi igniting from nothing, flames roaring to life as they consumed the blade of the sword. The heat from the orange and yellow element was intense, as the fire dared to lick the teenager's free hand, but he did not flinch, nor did he so much as spare a thought to the possibility that he even could get burned. He had trained himself to be capable of this, and now was the time to really put it's capabilities to the test.

Ignoring the constant, severe and faculty hampering pain his torso was in, Rean's eyes snapped open, as he brought his right arm down and pulled his tachi behind him, his left arm returning to his side as well. "Everyone, get back!" He ordered his classmates.

Thanks to the fact that they were all linked together, the four did just as he told them, their instincts driving them to, before even questioning what he was up to. That said, it didn't stop them from doing so after they had done as he bid them.

Blocking their voices out, Rean's eyes narrowed, as his vision honed in on Grunoja, the beast bewildered for the moment, before taking notice of the tiny insect staring it down, flames crackling along it's weapon. Beating it's chest and giving a furious roar, it proceeded to come barreling at high speed toward the Eight Leaves One Blade swordsman.

Standing his ground, Rean joined his left hand with his right, grasping the grip of his tachi with both hands. Bringing his right foot back, he raised his sword overhead, positioning it just above his right shoulder. "Strike!" Kicking the ground with all the strength his legs could muster, he surged forward at his maximum speed, meeting the monster head on as he did, delivering a powerful downward-diagonal slash, while simultaneously passing by it, leaving a small trail of fire in his wake.

Screeching in anguish, Grunoja stumbled to a stop, blood bursting from the slash-mark carved into it's hulking form, stretching from it's right shoulder down to it's left hip. At the same time, the flames that had accompanied the wound burned away, scorching it's flesh and fur alike, seemingly burning hotter every moment, as third-degree burns quickly became evident down it's upper-body.

Finally, unable to bear all the wounds and injuries it had sustained, Grunoja collapsed on the ground, causing it to shake once more, smoke rising from it's burning form as it's screeching finally came to an end. Shortly after it's screeching ended, so too did the flames, suffocated by the lack of oxygen, courtesy of being trapped between the massive simian's body and the ground. And with that, Grunoja had fallen. The king of the forest was dead.

The flames covering his blade dissipating into nothing, Rean sheathed his tachi and proceeded to let out a breath he was unaware he had been holding in. Then, injuries catching up with him, he lost the strength in his legs and fell on his ass, vocalizing his pain with a yelp as he did.

As his classmates came rushing to his side, Rean held up a hand, getting them to slow to a stop, though they had already reached him, as he let them know he was alright. "It's fine...I'm fine, it just...it just really fricking hurts." He informed them, wincing once more.

At that, Gaius, Elliot and Laura all shared a sigh of relief. Fie, on the other hand, didn't look too convinced. Nevertheless, she didn't push it.

"I-I'm not gonna lie, I though we were done there for a little bit..." Elliot admitted between pants, as exhaustion caught up with him, clearly beyond relieved the battle was over.

"It certainly looked bad there for a few moments. We were down an ally and were starting to tire. If it had gone on much longer, while I'm sure we still would have won, we would be in far worse shape than we are now." Gaius assessed, he too panting once again, allowing his tiredness to sink in now that the fight was done.

"Regardless, we were able to defeat it. That is all that matters." Laura put forth, reigning her breathing in to bring her panting to an end as she did.

"Yeah, we beat it all right. Just took us awhile is all." Rean said with a chuckle, wincing in pain yet again. Turns out laughing when all your ribs were broken was a bad idea.

"..." Fie remained noticeably silent, merely continuing to stare at Rean. Not that anyone seemed to notice, not even Rean himself.

The smell of burnt flesh permeating the air, the timid violinist of the group was unable to keep from turning around and looking at the source of said smell, even though he knew he wouldn't like what he saw.

The beast's smoking carcass, blood pooling beneath it, not to mention all the lacerations and other wounds littering it's body, combined with the not so pleasant smell, had the sixteen year old feeling queasy.

Feeling like he might lose his lunch, Elliot remarked, "I think I finally have something good to say about the old schoolhouse."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Rean questioned his younger friend, curious.

"Those monsters in it, or whatever they are, just...up and disappear after we kill them. Not like the ones in the outside world, which leave corpses and blood...and a smell..." The orange-haired boy stopped there, as he fought down the bile rising in his throat.

"Elliot, you cannot be telling me you're squeamish." Rean replied, his tone containing disbelief and mirth in equal measure. "I mean, we've fought more than a dozen monsters since we've been here in Celdic, and not once did you even look uncomfortable."

"I knew I'd be seeing this kind of stuff when I enrolled in a military academy, so I-" Managing to keep the contents of his stomach, in his stomach, he continued. "I mentally prepared myself for it. Or, I thought I did anyway. But this, this might be too much for me to handle." He told them honestly, averting his eyes from the animal's corpse as he did.

"That aside, Rean, what was that skill you just performed?" Laura changed the subject, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Rean, in spite of the fact that it hurt to even breathe, decided to answer her. "Oh, that?"

* * *

"Hmph. I can hardly believe it. They actually managed to slay it. Impressive." The bespectacled man acknowledged. "Perhaps I was too harsh in my judgement of the competence of those bandits..."

One look down below at their cowering forms, however, quickly had him changing his mind. "Or perhaps not." He dismissed the notion. "Regardless, seeing as that man has yet to arrive, this has put our plans back a touch. How annoying." He stated with a sigh.

Closing his eyes and taking a few moments to think, all the blue-grey haired man could hear was the back and forth between the teens below. Though he'd be lying if he said he could actually understand what they were saying, being too far away to really make their words out.

"No matter, I will deal with this myself." He assured himself then, reopening his eyes as he did. "Though, I will admit that the thought of killing a bunch of kids leaves a bad taste in my mouth." He admitted, as he drew a large, grey-colored orbal handgun from his coat. "Oh well." He said, as he took aim at the black-haired boy and silver-haired girl below. "It must be done."

And with that, he pulled the trigger.

* * *

END NOTE: First fight in the Legend Of Heroes universe finally complete. Alright, so, how'd I do? Also, if anyone was wondering why they had such trouble with Grunoja, remember that in the game they defeated the beast, but failed to kill it during the first field study. Which was why it was around for Rean and Toval to fight it during Cold Steel 2. So, considering they fought it to the death, and Gideon playing the flute to manipulate it even further, it would only make sense for it to cause even more trouble. So...yeah.


	7. The Silver Haze

jamesb497: I'm happy you're excited. Quite frankly, I'm really excited too, to write future chapters that is. I've got a lot planned that I can't wait for you guys to see. Well, thank you, I appreciate that.

Apex85: Fair enough. Reading back over it, I agree with you it's more average than anything else. That said, not like I could bust out their coolest moves, so...yeah. Anyway, glad you seemed to like it. Yeah, I liked writing it. I always wanted them to get taken down a peg or two, so I took the chance to do just that. Oh yeah. And believe me, if you think that's bad...just you wait. I plan on one day leaving you guys with cliffhangers the size and intensity of the first Cold Steel's ending. Not to mention the emotional impact.

GeassKing101: Good, I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it so much. Thank you. Well, this took a turn didn't it? Regardless, I will indulge. I, too, am rather disappointed by the lack of Fie doujinshis. Mostly because, quite frankly, she's my favorite of the girls. Alas, not much I can do about it. I can't draw for shit. No, it'd be more accurate to say I couldn't draw something good even to save my life. That said, I am glad the one doujin that is out there is her with Rean, I can't stand her with anyone else. It just hits a button of 'ah hell na!' in me. It's why I won't read stories where she's not paired with Rean, which, sadly, leaves me without a lot of Trails stories to read. Though, I can read stories without any pairings, though those are hard to find as well. Anyway, one last thing. There is another doujin with Fie in it, with Rean too, where all the Class VII girls, with the exception of Millium, jump his bones. It's not in English either though, so...that sucks. But, I digress.

No problem, feel free to rant anytime my friend. I'm here to listen. Thank you again, and I will do my best.

RedBurningDragon: The dust cloud didn't last very long though...oh well, whatever. Yeah, I really didn't like that either. Thank you. Also, I fixed the error you noticed, as well as several you didn't, that I did when going back over it. Thanks for that as well, by the way.

Guest: Well, you certainly cut straight to it, don't you? And since I don't like to lie, at most I'll dodge a question and honestly say I can't answer it lest I spoil something, I'll just go ahead and tell you that you're not wrong. One of those things does, probably, happen. Question is, which one is it? Also, his name is Gideon. And one more thing, I am I just that obvious? Or was this just your intuition sniffing something out?

Just one thing before we start. Has anyone seen the new leaks regarding Trails of Cold Steel III? Goddamn! Everyone from Class VII is looking awesome! Fie, Millium and Gaius especially. I kind of wish Jusis had kept his green color scheme, thought it worked really well for him, still, he looks really cool regardless. Machias is still good and Elliot, he's got a ponytail! I never imagined that for him, but hey, what works, works, right? Yeah, those scans seriously got my blood pumping! I can't wait till it get's localized! It just might literally kill me having to wait for it in English! XD No, seriously, it might.

Anyway, once again, thanks to all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update. KirochkaSveta, and kaleb-yamato, thank you!

Alrighty then, the finale of chapter one. The end of the Celdic arc. It's here. Tell me what you think. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 ** _ACT I - CHAPTER I - FINALE_**

 ** _,,,_**

Tension fading as the situation wound down, all the teen combatants, with the exception of Rean, who had already done so, put their weapons away and severed their ARCUS links.

"Eheh. You really are amazing, Rean." Elliot complimented his friend. "I mean, you summoned those flames without even using your ARCUS! I didn't even know that was possible." He confessed.

"Haha, it's nothing, really. There are plenty of people out there who could do way more than what I just did, trust me." Rean waved the compliment off, a somewhat self conscious smile spreading across his face as he did, while he cringed in pain for the umpteenth time.

"Perhaps, but that's no reason to sell yourself short." Gaius countered. "That truly was incredible."

"Come on Gaius, you used the wind the same way I used fire in that fight." The raven-haired teen pointed out.

The soft spoken nord didn't try to deny it. "That does not change the fact that what you did was impressive." He rebutted. "I have trained for years to harness the wind, I know from firsthand experience that it is no simple task."

"You guys are unbelievable." Elliot stated. "You're all so strong and composed. It's like you've handled this kind of stuff before."

"I have." Fie put that fact out there, purposely ignoring the gaze of Laura, who had been staring at her for a number of moments now.

"Heh, I guess I should've expected you to say that. I mean, I should be surprised, but by the way you talk about these sorts of things, I'm really not." The timid violinist remarked.

'The way she moved during that battle...her technique, her speed, her strength, all with that tiny frame...and she was still holding something back...' Laura pondered the enigma that was Fie Claussell, her curiosity having kicked into overdrive. It was burning, she needed to know what this girl was about. The warrior in her especially.

"Laura, is something wrong?" Rean questioned the blue-haired girl, noticing the way she was watching Fie to be quite similar to how she had been looking at him most of the day before.

Pulled from her thoughts, the well spoken swordswoman pried her eyes away from the only other female in the area, and shifted her attention to her follow blade wielder. "My apologies. Could you repeat that?"

"I was asking if everything was alright. You were staring at Fie pretty hard there." The swordsman mentioned.

"Oh, that." Realizing she had been caught staring, in a scrutinizing manner no less, she quickly came up with something. "I was simply wondering what it was she used on that beast. It was quite effective." Not exactly a lie, that was indeed one of the queries she had for the younger girl, but it was simply a drop in the bucket that was her piqued interest.

"A plastic explosive." The silver-haired girl answered nonchalantly.

"You carry plastic explosives around with you!?" Elliot squawked incredulously, staring at the younger teen like she was crazy.

"What fair maiden doesn't?" Fie responded with a quirk of the brow, her tone making it nigh impossible to tell if she was joking or, quite possible, entirely serious.

"Right, ahaha." The orange-haired teen chuckled nervously. Bereft of any appropriate response to such a statement, he opted not to really say anything to it. None of the members of Class VII could hope to form an adequate reply to that, so he certainly wasn't the odd man out this time.

Focus off of her fellow female for the moment, Laura turned her attention to Rean. "I mustn't neglect to tell you how impressed I am with that technique of yours. If you are truly only a beginner, I must admit that I am quite anxious to see what you will be capable of at the intermediary level, let alone mastery of your style." The noble girl praised her fellow swordsman. "In fact, if I may be so presumptuous, I'd say I've found my new sparring partner." The excitement that lay underneath her tone wasn't difficult to hear, even if she was trying to downplay it.

"Hey, don't go overboard now. I can assure you, if we were to battle, you'd wipe the floor with me no problem." Rean tried to tell her, his self conscious smile widening, as he tried to laugh her off. Which was, as it turned out, a very bad idea. Grasping at his sides, he sucked in a sharp breath of air, pain flaring throughout his torso. He had already come to the conclusion that laughing was a stupid thing to do while he was in this state, yet he just couldn't help himself it seemed.

Fie noticeably frowned at this, while the others immediately asked if he was okay, to which he answered that he was.

Because of this, Elliot was vividly reminded exactly why his friend was in such bad shape. Quickly turning to face him, the younger boy proceeded to express his appreciation. "Rean, thank you! You saved my life." His gratitude was almost overwhelming, as he formally bowed to the older boy.

"Hey, don't do that! It's okay!" Rean tried to assure his classmate frantically. "I mean, we're friends right?" He posed to the timid violinist, to which he nodded affirmatively. "That's what friends do, they look out for each other."

"Shut up." Came Fie's voice suddenly, interrupting the two's exchange.

"Huh?" Was Rean's eloquent response, as the younger girl came to a stop in front of him, now standing over him from his position on the ground.

"You need to stop talking." She reiterated the same sentiment. "All you're doing is aggravating your injuries." She informed him matter-of-factly. "You need to conserve your strength. We don't want them getting any worse."

"O-Oh, well, okay, fair enough." The modest swordsman conceded easily enough.

"Good." She said with a nod of her head.

Meanwhile, Gaius and Laura shared a glance, that Elliot joined in on as well. This would only fuel their suspicions about the two, that was for sure.

"U-Unbelievable..." One of the provincial soldiers muttered, as he and the other eight men finally got themselves up and off the ground.

"How could a couple of kids be this strong!?" Another soldier questioned incredulously.

"That bastard...this wasn't supposed to happen!" Cursed the bandit leader.

"Who are you talking about?" Rean inquired of the bandit, in spite of what he had agreed to do.

Before Fie could get onto him for speaking again however, Rean once more sensed the presence of a tenth individual. Time seemed to slow down for the young man in that instance, as his head snapped to the location of this presence, where he spotted a man with glasses and blue-grey hair aiming a large orbal pistol down at them, Fie and him in the path of the barrel in particular. Worst of all...he had already pulled the trigger. 'How could I be so stupid!? I should have paid more attention! I knew there was a tenth!'

"Fie, get down!" Acting without thinking, Rean leapt to his feet and shoved Fie aside, time resuming its normal flow as it did, preventing the injured teen from having a chance in hell of getting out of the way. As a result, he took the bullet straight to his right shoulder, knocking him off his feet and straight on to his back onto the ground. With his weakened constitution, he was unable to stay on his feet, nor was he able to bite back the scream that pried itself from his throat.

"REAN!"

Left hand grasping at his right shoulder, Rean did his best to put pressure on the wound, as the blood began to soak through his white shirt and even his red blazer. And, of course, this only served to aggravate his current injuries, sending flares of agony through the upper half of his body.

"Rean..." Fie all but whispered, her tone solicitous in nature, as she got up off the ground. Instead of opting to stand, she instead remained on her knees, as she came over to her best friend's side. 'I messed up. I...I can't believe it...I forgot about the tenth. How could I mess up like that!?' She began to berate herself mentally, as she assisted her childhood friend in putting pressure on his wound.

It was out of shock more than anything else that the four who hadn't been shot failed to think of looking to see where the bullet came from, too concerned with Rean to do so. But they came to their senses rather quickly, Fie being the first in the matter to do so. She did instruct Elliot to help Rean keep pressure on the wound first though.

Getting to her feet, she, Laura and Gaius sought out the source of the metal projectile with their eyes. Only, by the time they located who had shot it, another had been fired, and it hit it's mark.

Bullet tearing straight through the skin, muscle and bone with ease, it ripped out of the back the bandit leader's head, leaving a bloody hole on both sides. Dropping to the ground dead, the ruby liquid that sustained him began pooling around his cranium.

The other eight men panicked, quickly fleeing the clearing to the best of their capabilities, shouting in fear all the while. To their luck, not another shot was fired in the time it took them to get out of range.

"Who the hell are you?" Fie demanded, uncharacteristically hostile in tone, drawing her twin gunswords as she did.

Laura and Gaius followed her lead and did the same with their weapons.

"Me?" The violet eyed man queried sarcastically. "Well, if you must know, in some circles I am known as G. And that is, perhaps, all you will ever know." G finished, taking aim at them once more.

Dropping into battle stances, the three prepared to begin another fight, when suddenly...

"There you are, G." Suddenly came a new voice, one that none of the teens below recognized.

His attention diverted, G glanced over to his right, where a man who had just got up onto the cliff walked into sight.

This man stood six feet tall with a slightly muscular build, light skin, and appeared to be in his early thirties. He had purple hair just shy of shoulder length, and as for his eyes, they were obscured by a pair of sunglasses with silver frames. As for the rest of his attire, he wore a sleeveless, form-fitting white shirt, under a simple black, waist-length coat. Along with a pair of black pants with white stripes running vertically down the sides, and black combat boots with white buckles.

"About time you showed up." G stated with the beginnings of a frown. "You're late. Care to explain why?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Got caught up on my way here, damn animals in the outlying forest of this place all wanted a piece of me, and who was I to deny them?" He said with a shrug of his shoulders, clearly no care in the matter, or at all it seemed. "That said, I'm here aren't I? So it's fine. Let's just get on with this plan of yours."

"Don't be so hasty." G told him. "In case you hadn't noticed, we have a couple of interlopers in our midst." The bespectacled man gestured to the teens below with a wave of his pistol, as he informed the other man of this. "They've been a nuisance, and it would be beneficial to remove them from the equation entirely before moving forward."

"What, you mean those kids down there?" The shades wearing man asked, taking a moment to glance down at the teens in question as he did. "You've gotta be kidding me G-Man, they're just a couple of brats." He remarked dismissively. "What kind of threat could they pose?"

"While it's true they're no serious threat, they've proven themselves to be quite the pests. That-" Before G could finish, the new guy cut him off.

"Wait a tic, G-Man, are you telling me those kids are the ones that messed up your first plan?" He queried skeptically, before quickly realizing this was the case. "Oh man, that's just...that's just too good." His mirth abundantly clear, the purple haired newcomer was apparently greatly amused by this, grinning ear to ear. "The ever-grim, super serious G-Man, who never needs anyone's help, no matter what, actually had to call me in because of a bunch of tots? Wait till the other guys hear about this!" And with that, the new guy began to outright laugh at his ally.

The beginnings of a frown now warped into a full-blown scowl, as G bit his tongue on the subject, not appreciating the other man's reaction even in the slightest. Nevertheless, it would do no good to start a fight. "Warrick, first of all, it wasn't my fault the first plan fell through. It was the incompetence of those bandits. And second, how many times must I tell you, do not call me that. Finally, why don't you stop laughing like an idiot, and go do what you came here to do!" He bit at the end.

Calming down to a few chuckles, the man, whose name was apparently Warrick, brought it back down. "Whoa, snippy. Guess I must've hit a sore spot. My bad. But still, look at'em. They're probably scared witless down there. Just a bunch of kids who don't know their ass from a hole in the ground." He said derisively, looking down at the group of teens once more. "How come you haven't handled them? I mean, you already put a hole in one of them, shouldn't be too hard to finish him off and take care of the others. Not like they're-" Words dying in his throat, Warrick paused, before crouching down and taking a hard look at the teenagers below.

"Well shit. I take it back G-Man, I think I see why you were having problems with this group of munchkins." Warrick retracted his derision of the group and, by proxy, G. Remaining crouched, he continued to speak. "My, my, if it isn't little Fie. Didn't think I'd ever see you again. Long time no see, huh?" He addressed the youngest of the five below.

"Am I supposed to know you?" She inquired, still clearly hostile.

"Shit yeah." He replied immediately. "I mean, we didn't exactly see each other more than two or three times, but it's not like I could ever forget you. You were Rutger's little urchin tag-along. But more than that, you were there when my brother died." As he informed her of this, he pushed his shades up, revealing his striking purple eyes. The same exact eyes of the man who Rean had eviscerated.

Eyes widening a fraction, Fie remained silent as she processed this. At the same time, Laura began to eye her fellow female out of her peripheral vision.

Meanwhile, Rean's mind was racing at the fact that this man was the brother of the jaeger from eight years ago. Still, his injuries kept him from thinking too much on this fact.

"Our corp, while embroiled in quite the battle with yours, was still looking for work regardless. Got to make that mira somehow after all. He decided to go with an easy contract, kill a minor noble's heir. Simple enough, especially so considering the heir was just a child. However, something went wrong and he died. Sure, I was upset, who wouldn't be. But, I understood, that kind of shit can happen anytime in our line of work. No, what got to me, was the fact that you just happened to be there when it happened. Somehow, someway, you both ended up in Ymir at the same time. Kind of suspicious, don't ya think?" Warrick's tone, once mirthful and carefree, was now much more serious, and venomous.

"How could someone like my big brother be done in, in a backwoods hole like Ymir?" Posed the jaeger. "I haven't the slightest clue. You on the other hand, assuredly do." His eyes locked solely on Fie as he said this. "Perhaps you somehow managed to kill him, or more likely, one of your Zephyr buddies did it for you. Or just maybe it was someone else entirely. Nevertheless, one way or another, I'm sure you know who killed him. And you're going to tell me who it was. Or else." His eyes narrowed dangerously, his threat all too clear.

Rean, having finally sat up with the help of Elliot, opened his mouth to speak, cringing with one eye closed as he did. Fie, knowing that he was going to give Warrick just the answer he wanted, in hopes of keeping her from being harmed, preempted him. "Ask all you want, I have no intention of telling you anything." She stated firmly.

"Is that so? Huh. You leave me no choice then." With that, Warrick proceeded to stand, and reach back and pull a machete from one of the dual leather holders attacked to the small of his back, which the teens just now took note of.

"You're-" Fie started, only to be interrupted.

"That's right kid, I'm the Silver Serpent corp's Silver Haze." The jaeger proclaimed proudly. "Or, well, I used to be. You know, until your buddies ground us into all but nothing." It was evident he was sore over that. "But, I guess we kind of have that in common, huh? You used to be Zephyr's Sylphid. And now you're just Sylphid. We're kind of like two peas in a pod, I'm now a solo jaeger, you're now now solo jaeger-"

"No." The silver-haired girl cut him off mid-sentence, denying his words.

"I'm sorry?" He said with a quirk of his brow.

"I'm not a jaeger, not anymore." She corrected him.

That, that was the moment when it all clicked for Laura. 'A jaeger?!' And unbeknownst to even herself, her mind had already rejected the notion of associating with someone who would sink as low to become a killer for hire. After all, a jaeger was the exact opposite of a knight. What she did know though, was that her emotions were awhirl upon this revelation.

"Jaeger!?" Elliot repeated, looking toward the younger girl in disbelief as he did. He made sure to keep the pressure on his friend's wound though.

"I see, everything falls into place if that's the case." Gaius acknowledged, clearly the least surprised of the three not in the know.

"Fie..." Rean grunted her name through grit teeth, pain plaguing his torso nonstop. He hadn't wanted the others to find out about her past like this. 'I wanted her to open up to them herself.'

"Oh sweetie, you don't ever stop being a jaeger, not really." The tone he took was so damn condescending, that it would get on anyone's nerves. "You're proving me right, even as we speak. That stance you've taken leaves little to no openings, your eyes are cold and hard, those of a trained killer. And even more than that, your friend is bleeding out right behind you, and all you care about is the enemy in front of you." It didn't help that he sounded so damn pleased with himself either.

Fie, taking just about everyone off guard, noticeably flinched at those words, the last part cutting deeper than the rest.

And that was all the opening the older man needed, leaping down to their level, landing right in front of Fie, doing so faster than any of them could react, he attacked.

The fifteen year old barely had enough time to dodge, jumping back at the last moment, barely avoiding the blade of the machete as it was swung on her. So close it came that it took a few strands of her hair with it when it passed by. She would have opted to counterattack immediately afterward, but as soon as she tried, he was slashing at her with the machete again, leaving her no time to do anything but evade once more, sidestepping to the right to do so.

Anticipating this, Warrick shifted his footing, and proceeded to nail the young girl hard in the stomach with a right jab. The blow knocked the wind out of her, causing her to nearly double over in pain as she gasped for air. Following it up, he clocked her right between the eyes with a right straight, knocking her to the ground onto her back, and causing her to slide several feet from the force of the punch.

"Fie!" Rean exclaimed, as he began forcing himself to his feet, despite Elliot trying to keep him from getting up and aggravating his injuries, which he surely would.

Laura and Gaius had already taken action, both launching an attack of their own, a strong swing of her blade from the noble, and a quick thrust of his spear from the nord. Their efforts were thwarted however, as the jaeger whirled around to face them, and raised his machete to block the incoming sword strike, stopping it in it's tracks as steel met steel. At the same time, he reached out and took hold of the neck of the spear, using his strength to keep it from moving any further closer to him. Both teens attempted to overcome him, of course, but his strength outstripped theirs, preventing them from gaining any ground on him.

Warrick, hating to ever be on the defensive, lashed out with his right leg, ramming his foot into Laura's abdomen, the force of the kick knocking her off her feet, sending her sliding across the ground a few feet, and causing her to gasp in pain. She, just like Fie had with hers, retained her grip on her weapon though.

His cross-spear held more by the enemy than him at the moment, Gaius chose to release his hold on it and simply try to rush the older man, as his attention was on Laura. That didn't work out so well, as the jaeger sidestepped the foreigner and made him pay for the maneuver with a good thwack of the shaft of his own spear across the back of his head, nearly knocking the teen unconscious as he did.

Another teen on the ground, the Silver Haze threw the spear to the dirt, turning to face his next challenger. And proceeded to laugh in his face, as it was Rean, barely able to keep himself upright, gripping his unsheathed tachi so tightly that his knuckles were discolored. "What you gonna do? Flail at me? Look kid, I don't know for sure what happened to you, but I can tell you've got at least a few broken bones, I'm guessing ribs judging by your breathing, most, if not all of them in fact. Not to mention a bullet wound to the shoulder on top of that, speaking of which, shouldn't you be keeping pressure on that? Wouldn't want to bleed out would we? Ah, whatever, not like I care." He finished dismissively, truly not caring in the slightest.

Rean, sloppily, pivoted forward and attempted to slash the man with his blade, but in his condition, with a simple step to the side, his attack was avoided and he was sent sprawling onto the ground. Wincing, the black-haired boy inhaled sharply, as he fought back the cry of pain that tried to leave his throat.

"See? And I didn't even have to touch you. Face it, you're done. Ain't going to be any fighting for you for awhile." Warrick told him, before turning to face Elliot, not missing a beat in addressing him. "As for you, I wouldn't try that."

At that, the orange-haired boy froze, hands clenching his orbal staff deathly tight, clearly having been in the middle of performing an art.

"You saw what I just did to your pals. If you couldn't tell, I hit pretty hard. So trust me when I say, you don't want to see what I can do with this machete of mine." He warned the sixteen year old, effectively intimidating him.

"Pay attention Warrick!" Shouted G, before the sound of guns firing near simultaneously echoed through the clearing.

Heart pounding a little faster, the jaeger realized a bullet, no, two bullets, had just come this close to hitting him, having just grazed him, taking a few strands of his hair with them. The only reason they hadn't hit him, was that he had shifted his position, ever so slightly, when he heard G shout like that. Eyes widening a little, he turned around to face who had fired them, to see Fie, back on her feet, her twin gunswords aimed directly at him. Moreover, the only reason she hadn't fired again, as he quickly realized, was that G had covered for him, shooting just as she had, the bespectacled man's bullet missing the fifteen year old by a centimeter. It had nearly hit her foot, judging by the small hole there. It had served it's purpose however, as it showed her the consequences of her actions, acting as a warning shot. If she fired again, she would die with the next shot from the violet haired man's pistol. That was the only reason the purple haired jaeger was still alive.

"Well...shit. That was close." The Silver Haze remarked, sounding unperturbed, despite having come this close to biting the bullet, literally. "You...you certainly are one hell of a shot. If I didn't get that heads up just know, I'd be taking a dirt nap." He acknowledge her marksmanship, sounding genuine for once. "And man, just look at that face of yours. It's just like stone, completely emotionless. And we can't forget your eyes, calculating and somehow even colder than before. Hell, I can even see the satisfaction in them that you nearly killed me. Say what you want girly, but you are the spitting image of a veteran jaeger." He apprised her with a self-satisfied smirk, seemingly regaining the bit of confidence that had faded with that little occurrence.

This time she didn't flinch, much to Warrick's disappointment. Since that was the case, and seeing as the moment she tried to move even an inch she'd be killed, the jaeger and the former jaeger began a stare-down. Neither let up, that is until a groan caught the older one's attention, his eyes shifting away from the girl and down to the dark-haired teen. That's when he got an idea, and it showed, as his grin widened considerably, though it took on a sinister quality as it did.

Without warning, he acted, ramming the side of his leg into Rean's broken ribs, kicking him rather hard in the side. Which, of course, elicited quite the cry of pain from the boy, as well as causing him to roll over onto his back, clutching his side, blade lying in the dirt and grass beside him. Eyes seeking out Fie, the purple haired man was pleased with the reaction he saw, her mask slipping as concern flashed in her yellow-green irises, followed by anger. "Oh, I'm sorry, did that bother you? Upset you?" He mocked the former jaeger. "Good."

Wanting to see more, he took it up a notch. He brought his right foot up, before bringing it back down, full-force stomping on the seventeen year old's chest, forcing a scream even worse than the first to rip itself out from his throat. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH-ACK!" Only for it to come to an end, as the raven-haired boy began to hack up blood, undoubtedly from the worsening of his injuries.

This time, the long haired jaeger got an even better reaction. Gone was the indifference completely, as her anger quickly morphed into rage, the emotion reflected not only in her eyes, but her visage as well. However, he wasn't allowed to enjoy it for long, as she threw caution to the wind and proceeded to act.

Redirecting her aim, the silver-haired girl fired two shots up at G, managing to do so before he could pull the trigger on his own gun. That, obviously, would distract him for a few moments, as he dodged. Using that to her advantage, Fie broke into a dead-sprint, irises shifting to Warrick, locking onto her target.

The Silver Haze was a little surprised by the sheer daringness of such a move, nevertheless, he removed his foot from the younger male's chest and prepared to take her on. Only to be caught off guard, as a cry of "Aqua Bleed!" reached his ears, causing him to act on instinct and quickly backstep, a ball of water speeding past him as a result. Diverting his attention to the source it came from, he saw who was responsible. The same timid boy he had intimidated into inaction. The same one who had just thrown an art at him. Hell, the boy was now getting ready to use another one.

Fie's swift movement allowed her to utilize the momentary diversion of her enemy's focus, closing the distance between them before he could notice. Unfortunately, just when she was there, right in his personal space, preparing to sink one of her gunswords deep into his flesh, his attention returned to her. Grabbing ahold of her right wrist, Warrick stopped the thrust of her gunsword in its tracks, the tip of the blade a mere centimeter or two from touching him. He then did the same with her left gunsword, taking hold of her forearm and halting her arm's motion.

Not missing a beat, the fifteen year old shot her right knee up, in an attempt to strike him in the solar plexus with it. To no avail, as the jaeger pulled his left knee up at almost the exact same time, and blocked it. Not a moment after their knees slammed together, the former jaeger retracted her leg and placed her foot back on the ground, while simultaneously bringing her left leg up and ramming the length of it into the older man's side. She did this before he had the chance to counter it, nailing him in the ribs with a solid kick as a result.

Grunting in annoyance more than pain, though the hit had hurt him a bit, Warrick met the younger girl's eyes, to see her glaring at him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead, that was for sure. This just amused him however, although he was much less amused, when he heard a shout of, "Needle Shoot!"

His eyes immediately sought Elliot out, only to see he wasn't launching the art at him. Rather, he was sending it G's way, he found that out as he followed it with his colored orbs, the shoulder sized clump of earth shooting up at the repositioned bespectacled man. This forced him to dodge once again, preventing him from firing down upon the teens.

Using the jaeger's divided attention, Fie positioned her index fingers, and proceeded to pull the triggers on her gunswords. Or she would have, if she were able. Alas, as it turned out, the thirty something year old had seen this coming, and had quickly transitioned to alternate holds of her hands, rather than her wrist and forearm. Although that kept her from putting some bullets in him, that was alright. As he had failed to notice those behind him.

Or rather he did notice them, but at almost the last possible moment. Pushing the fifteen year old back, Silver Haze leapt out of the way, avoiding a large swing of Laura's bastard sword as he did. Only to be forced to move again, as Gaius, having gotten back to his feet as well, tried to sweep him with his cross-spear.

Successfully evading both attacks, he moved to attack in turn, only to have to shield his face with his machete, as Fie took two quick shots at him. The bullets ricocheted off his weapon, leaving him unharmed. While Laura and Gaius advanced on him, going for a pincer attack. He attempted to shift his stance to defend, but was prevented from doing so, almost tripping when he did, as something kept one of his feet from moving.

Instantly, he knew who it was. Nevertheless, he turned his vision downward, to see the struggling to remain conscious Rean, one hand on his wounded shoulder to keep the bleeding to a minimum, and the other wrapped around the jaeger's right ankle. Scowling now, Warrick was clearly not having fun with these teenagers anymore. And with no amusement left in it for him...

Without warning, Warrick brought his unhindered foot up and slammed it down against the dark-haired boy, stomping hard on the back of his head. This caused him to let up on his grip, allowing the jaeger to duck under both the noble girl and the foreign boy's attacks. Socking them both in the gut, he rose back to his full height, took hold of their weapons, and lifted them, and their wielders as a result. Tossing them both to the side, he went to turn back around, hearing the youngest male shout out the name of another art as he did, undoubtedly trying to keep G at bay.

Only to nearly have his face sliced open by Fie, the nimble girl having leapt at him, going for a downward angle slash with her right gunsword. Swaying out of the way, he lifted his machete, only to have to stop in the middle of his attack as he shifted his body to his left. He did this to avoid the former jaeger's other gunsword, which she had actually tossed his way, in an attempt to get him. It failed, but she had clearly anticipated it would, as with her now free had, she transitioned into a single-handed handstand. Turning her body at a certain angle, she shot her right leg forward, slamming the length of it into the back of the long-haired man's head.

The blow to his head managed to make him stumble a tad, but he quickly recovered, as when Fie put her feet back on the ground and attempted a spin-kick, aiming right for his face, he caught her leg by the shin. Gripping it tight, killing it's momentum completely, she was left with one foot off the ground and only one of her weapons, not the most ideal position to be in. Not that it stopped her, as she took quick aim with her remaining gunsword, and attempted to pull the trigger before she could be stopped. Her attempt to inflict some kind of injury or wound failed, as he pushed the weapon away, altering it's trajectory by the time the bullet was fired. Funny enough, it was sent G's way, forcing him to dodge yet again.

Not giving her time to continue her assault, Warrick all but coldcocked Fie, hitting her square in the face with a strong right straight, the blow disorienting her and nearly knocking her out. Not to mention the short cry of pain it forced her to let out. He then pulled her leg upward and shoved her backwards, sending her sprawling onto the ground.

Whirling to face the two he heard coming from behind once more, he blocked both Gaius and Laura's weapons with his machete. This clash didn't last for more than a moment though, as the sound of a pistol being fired reached everyone's ears, and the bullet hit the ground right next to Elliot's feet, drawing all eyes to him. The shot had come from G, who had just stopped the timid violinist from performing yet another art. He looked none too pleased either, then again, who would be? He had just spent the last minute and a half dodging bullets and arts.

Although, just a second later, things got even more hectic, as three more individuals came onto the scene. Two bearing fully-automatic assault rifles, and the third a large pistol. Though calling it a pistol, which it still was, might be a bit of an understatement. As it looked more akin to a hand cannon than anything. Because of these weapons, and the grey and black Railway Military Police uniforms they sported, all attention was shifted to them.

"The RMP?" Warrick said the acronym of the group aloud, pulling back as he watched them.

"That's enough!" One of them cried, stepping out front in front of the other two. Said person was a beautiful young woman, appearing to be in her early twenties, with light skin, hot pink eyes, and long, sky blue hair, tied back in a long ponytail.

"The Icy Maiden..." G spoke the woman's alias with aggravation.

'Why has one of the Chancellor's dogs come here?' The Silver Haze wondered to himself. 'They can't possibly know.'

"RMP?" Gaius repeated the acronym, his confusion clear.

"They're supposed to be the most elite unit in the whole of the imperial army..." Elliot muttered aloud.

"We apprehended eight men that came running from this park." The Icy Maiden stated. "They informed me I would find some kind of skirmish going on here. What they failed to tell me, however, is just who the two of you are." She continued. "Care to fill me in?" Despite the way it was phrased, it was quite clear that wasn't a request.

G, knowing when to cut his losses, decided it was time to retreat. With that in mind, he snapped his wrist up and rapidly fired three shots from his orbal handgun. At the same time, Warrick shoved Gaius and Laura back, before running for it, leaping up onto the cliff and following after G as they moved to get out of there.

The shots were evaded, not that it was hard with how sloppily their trajectory had been, and the woman known as Icy Maiden proceeded to return fire. One of the shots managed to graze G's arm, but he and his jaeger ally were able to disappear from sight before anything more serious could be done to them. Not that the RMP intended to allow them to escape. "After them!" The Icy Maiden ordered.

As the other two RMP soldiers did as they were told, Rean began once more forcing himself off the ground. Eyes seeking out Fie, now on his knees, he pushed up onto his feet. He attempted to lumber over to her, the state he was in preventing him from doing more than that. However, the adrenaline coursing through his system having long since faded, the young swordsman was no longer able to fight the agonizing pain that consumed his upper body. Succumbing to his injuries, he stumbled and proceeded to fall face first onto the round, passing out.

* * *

Face calm and still, eyes closed, breathing slow but steady, strands of hair tickling his forehead. That was the state of Rean Schwarzer. He was asleep, lying in a train booth, his head on Fie's lap, it acting as a pillow. She watched him as he slept, the events from just a few hours ago replaying in her head.

After everything had settled down, the woman had introduced herself as Claire Rieveldt, a Captain of the RMP. She assisted them with treating Rean, along with the Market Manager Otto, as the two of them knew a good deal of medical knowledge between them. Bandaging his chest and right shoulder, they put him to bed in the upstairs bedroom of Otto's house. He had woken up shortly after, long enough for Claire to introduce herself, Otto to thank him along with the others, and to take a bit of pain medication. He exchanged a few words with Fie, letting her know that he was glad she was okay, before falling to sleep. He remained asleep, even when Sara showed up and they all boarded the train. He hadn't reawoken yet, and probably wouldn't for sometime.

Fie was caught up in her own little world, as she stared at Rean's face, her thoughts racing. That is until the conversation of the others, coming from the row just behind her, snapped her out of her trance.

"Sh-She's asleep again..." Elliot stated a little disbelievingly, looking toward the booths on the opposite side, where Sara had zonked out.

"One could assume she was just faking it. But..." Gaius began.

"Right, her breathing. Judging by the rhythm of it, she truly is asleep." Laura finished for him.

"Well, I guess it makes sense. It sounded like Group B's field study was a train wreck. Combined that with coming all the way back to Celdic before it was even time for the last train, and anyone would be wiped." The orange-haired teen reasoned, looking back toward his classmates. "Though, I will admit, it is hard to imagine her working hard. Considering her usual attitude and all."

"It does seem she's genuinely looking out for us, however." The blue-haired swordswoman added.

The three continued to converse, but Fie once again blocked them out, as her eyes returned to the sleeping face her childhood friend.

* * *

 _"I'm not afraid of you."_

 _Those are the words she had said to him. Those would be the last words he heard from her for a long, long time. That thought saddened the young girl to no end. She didn't wish to leave. She wanted to stay. But how could she do that? Zephyr, her family, was waiting for her. She couldn't just leave them, couldn't just forget about them. They were all she had known for almost as long as she could remember. Her earliest memories were of wandering a war-torn battlefield, and everything after that was when she was with them. She had been with them most of her life. And yet, in only six months, this boy had somehow become just as precious to her as they were._

 _She cared for Elise, and Teo and Lucia too, she even enjoyed the company of most of the villagers here in Ymir. However, none of them were as close to her as Rean was. He was the one who found her after all. For some stupid, crazy reason, he ventured into that snowstorm when he heard her cry for help. Something she had done before even realizing she had. It had been the first time she was alone in such a long time, and she just wanted someone to be there, at least until she found her way out. Though she'd by lying if she said she didn't want them to remain when it was over. She hated being alone. She had an almost crippling fear of it._

 _He only secured his place in heart every day after that. From little acts of kindness for no other reason than just because, to somehow managing to pick up on the times when she was down and giving her someone to talk to. To the headpats to the sharing of his fears, to just being there whenever she needed or desired him to be. And finally, having someone just as weak as her, throw that weakness aside to protect her. He was just as much a part of her family as every member of Zephyr was. To leave him here, without even saying goodbye...just felt wrong._

 _As much as it pained her, she didn't have a choice. 'If it wasn't for me, this wouldn't have happened.' She thought to herself with disdain. 'If I hadn't helped that man, none of this would have happened.'_

 _"Come now Fie, let's get going." The sound of Leonidas's voice reached her ears, breaking her out of her trance._

 _Raising her eyes from ground, little seven year old Fie Claussell followed her two guardians and boarded the cable car._

* * *

It still pained Fie to remember that. It happened, there was no getting around that. She had left Rean behind, disappeared from his life entirely. It hurt the both of them. Only to have her own family leave her some years later. 'Just like I did to Rean.'

"This time, it'll be different. I promise." Fie whispered to herself and the unconscious Rean, fixing his hair so that the strands were no long hanging over his forehead. "I won't lose the last bit of family I have left." She swore to herself.

* * *

Just outside the train, unbeknownst to those riding the rails, on a cliff overlooking the tracks, was G. The darkness of night prevented him from being seen out the windows as the large metal vehicle passed by. His arms were crossed, as he watched the train continue on, not taking his eyes off it until it was just a mere dot in the distance of the horizon.

That's when a man of roughly the same height, decked out in a black combat suit akin to armor, with an almost ornate cape and a black helmet with a red visor came to stand next to the bespectacled man.

 **"I must admit, I wasn't expecting the Icy Maiden to show up when she did."** The masked man spoke, his voice clearly augmented by some kind of voice changer. **"We may need to adjust our plans to compensate for this interference."**

"That won't be necessary." G assured him, pushing his glasses back up on his face with his index and middle fingers. "This was not significant setback. If anything, it provided an unexpected bonus...giving us a valuable glimpse into the means through which the RMP and Intelligence Division coordinate their efforts." He explained. "With both organizations posing sizable threats to our operation, that information alone makes this all worthwhile."

 **"Haha. Valid point."** The masked man conceded.

"That said..." G began, the air of confidence fading, replaced by annoyance and anger. "...if this ignoramus had been on time, we could have still accomplished our task." He told the darkly dressed figure, turning to pointedly gaze at the jaeger in their midst, sitting down with his back against a tree.

"Oh, you're going to blame it on me are you?" Warrick queried.

"You're the one who showed up hours late, fool! The whole reason you were the backup plan was because you were in the area! Explain to me how in the hell it took you two damn hours to get there!?" G demanded of the younger man.

"You know, stuff...and things." The purple-haired man replied a little hesitantly, shrugging his shoulders as he did.

"You have got to be kidding me! You mean you don't even have an excuse!?" The blue-grey haired man inquired with vexation.

"I don't need one! I'm not part of your little group!" The Silver Haze rebutted, his ire beginning to flare as well. Thinking better of shouting at his bosses however, he calmed down. "You keep my pockets full, so I do jobs for ya. Simple as that." The Silver Haze said matter-of-factly.

G would have continued their 'discourse', but was cut off by the man in black.

 **"Should we proceed as planned, then?"** He posed to the violet eyed man, as he turned around.

"Hmph. Of course!" G confirmed, confidence returning, so much so that it was almost smug. "The tyrant must yet face the merciless hammer of judgement."

 **"Yes. May his lofty ambitions be crushed to dust and swept away!"** The masked man exclaimed, before beginning to walk away.

"Jeez. Melodramatic much?" Warrick whispered to himself beneath his breath, rolling his eyes as he did. 'I'm not much for their theatrics and 'noble goal' and all that shit, but the pay is good, so...whatever.' He thought to himself, letting out a yawn as he did. 'Though I will admit, I'm rather glad I'm working for them. I got to meet Sylphid because of'em. And hopefully I'll do so again. Then, I can find out who did you in, big brother.'

* * *

END NOTE: I wanted to get this one out before the end of June, but, ya know, things rarely work out the way you intend them too and all that. But hey, a month ain't too bad right? Anyway, hoped you guys enjoyed the final part of the Celdic field study. Also, how'd you like Warrick? What, did you think I'd have it be a jaeger that Rean killed and not have that come back in some kind of way? Of course not! I rarely do things, in real life or writing, for no reason. There are exceptions of course, but that's neither here nor there.


	8. A Proposition

RedBurningDragon: Yeah, around that amount of time. That's fine, was just making you aware that I had corrected as many errors as I could find. Fie has always been pretty, but yeah, I know what you're saying. She does look very good. Yep, and it most certainly will.

Jose19: Wha-? Why would you even ask that? I thought I had made it perfectly clear that it was going to be Rean and Fie. Why would I change it to someone else? As much as I hate the term, I'll go ahead and use it, they're my one true pairing in Trails. Uck, I kind of feel sick just typing that. Don't know why, probably because the only people I've met who write that, with one or two exceptions, are...well, not the most pleasant people to be around. It's just one of those words, like totes, man do I freaking hate that word. Okay, okay, I'm starting to ramble now. Anyways, for me it's either Rean and Fie, Rean and harem, with Fie in it of course, or nothing. So, yeah, not changing it. Ever. What gave you the idea that I was, if you don't mind me asking?

Heero De Fanel: Good, I'm glad. If you weren't, I'd probably have to rethink my approach. I like to think so, which is why I had it planned since the beginning. Thank you very much. I shall do my best to intrigue you further, as the story moves forward. As for the ILF...well, let's just say I've got some great stuff planned for them. We'll just leave it at that. Hehehe.

Apex85: Thanks. Yep, and as the story goes on, the deviations will only continue to grow outward, affecting more and more as things move forward. Not Warrick, but his big brother, yes. Yes, his target was Rean. You can see it in the flashback of the first part of the prologue. The jaeger mentions that the contract didn't pertain to Elise, he called her the girl I believe, and let it be known he was there to kill Rean. I won't say who put the hit on Rean, but I will say that they, at the very least, suspected his true lineage. And that it had somehow slipped beneath Osborne's notice, obviously.

Tsyne-Oblivion: Hey, it's just what I had planned man. Not much I can do about it. I have parts that will go normally, and others very differently, that's all there is to it. That said, I'm happy you seemed to like it so much. Know that I've got plenty more new stuff coming, though it will be almost drip fed into the story at first, speeding up as the narrative progresses. You think so? I didn't think it was all that much, just a brief, though cool, skirmish. That makes me quite excited for when I get to the really good stuff and how you'll react to it. Man, I can't wait! Also, thank you.

Yuuto2: Thank you. I'm overjoyed that you loved it so much! I intend to do my best. Good.

Guest: No problem. That's...an interesting idea. That said, while I would definitely be willing to read something like that, I'm not so sure about writing it myself, for a number of reasons. First and foremost being, we have absolutely no idea what would happen to Rean if he held that transformation for such a long period of time. Second, besides being bloodthirsty and violent, we don't know much about his personality while in said state. The arrogant thing, I suppose it could be a trait of his, though we haven't seen enough to really know, but still. And while I definitely plan to have Rean's demon form in this story here, more so than the game did, I don't plan to overuse it to such an extent. Besides that, I wouldn't want to all but get rid of regular Rean like that, as he's my favorite character. His demon side is the other side of the same coin, sure, but it just wouldn't be the same without him.

Now, I'm not going to outright refuse. I will think on it, that I promise you. However, will all that I have planned with this story, and the possibe spin-offs I might one day do, I can't guarantee anything. My apologies for that. Still, thank you very much for reviewing, for checking this story out in the first place, and enjoying my writing enough to put forth an idea for a story. I greatly appreciate it. :)

SinLessWolf: Well, you don't need to, not anymore, as here it is. Hope you enjoy.:)

ZealousSiren: And I'm glad you've caught up. Really? I'm happy to hear that. Yep, pretty much. Also, wow, just now noticed your new profile pic. Not gonna lie, I love it to absolute fricking death! So damn cute! How come I haven't managed to find that I wonder...? Oh well, better stop before I start rambling. :D

Anyway, once again, thanks to all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update. SinLessWolf, thank you!

Time for the first in between chapter. That's right, it's intermission time! Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _Eyes the color of blood, hair the shade of steel, a young man stood, a dark aura flowing all around him. Bathed in life essence, it covered almost every single inch of his form. From his hair matted forehead, sticky with the crimson liquid, to his dripping hands, the substance was everywhere._

 _Anger. Rage. Fury. This is all he knew._

 _Kill. Destroy. Slaughter. This is all he wished to do._

 _Red..._

 _Muscles twitching in anticipation, fingers popping as his hands waited at the ready, the young man, no, the beast, the monster, the demon, prepared to strike. To make his next kill. To claim his next victim._

 _The color red...i_ _t was everywhere..._

 _Snarling like the animal he was, teeth bared, he reared back, before lunging forward toward his newest prey._ _This poor, unsuspecting person had no chance of escape, as they were torn into by the creature. All they could do was stare up at their assailant, horrified. And what was the sight they saw through terrified eyes, in the last moments of their life? The twisted visage of one Rean Schwarzer._

 ** _The blood was everywhere..._**

* * *

 _ **ACT I - INTERMISSION**_

 **...**

 **Septian Calendar 1204  
** **5/2 - Sunday**

Rean woke with a start, shooting up in the bed he lie in, eyes as wide as dinner plates as he panted. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he attempted to catch his breath, adrenaline coursing through his veins whilst his mind tried to process where he was.

There had been so much blood...

"Rean..."

The sound of that voice, solicitous in nature, brought the black-haired teen back down a bit, eyes shifting to the girl it belonged to. "Fie..." He nearly choked as he spoke her name, emotion flowing unchecked.

Her concern shone through those yellow-green orbs of hers, betraying her emotionless expression. The tone of her voice only gave it away further. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine, I just...uh...I..." He tried to explain, reigning his emotions in, as he did his best to think up an excuse, just to fail and trail off like that, as his eyes wandered. As they did, he recalled where he was, in the Nurse's office. He had been waiting for Instructor Beatrix to return from her meeting with the principle, so she could give him one last look over, opting to use one of the beds rather than sit in a chair as he did. 'I must have fallen asleep while waiting...'

"Nightmare?" Came Fie's inquiry, though it was clear she already knew the answer, causing him to shift his focus back toward her, where she sat in a chair by the side of the bed.

"Yeah, just a nightmare..." He confirmed with a nod of his head, wiping the sweat from his brow as he did.

"About?" She inquired further.

"Nothing important, forget about it." He brushed the question off, bringing his legs around to where he was sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to get to his feet when he was ready.

The stoic fifteen year old quirked a brow at that response, as Rean wasn't one to brush people off, like ever. For any reason. At all. It was more than a little unusual. 'Just what did he dream about?'

Rean did his best to shake any thought of the nightmare from his mind, as it wouldn't do any good to go around all day stressing over it. 'After all, not like it's the first time I've had a dream like that...' He thought to himself, fighting the scowl that wished to form on his face.

Snapping out of it to the best of his ability, he raised his head and made eye contact with his childhood friend, as he opted to focus on her rather than the lingering sense of dread and fear the nightmare had left in it's wake. "How long have you been sitting there?" He queried.

"Not long." She answered with a shrug of her shoulders, allowing him to change the subject. "Just came by to see how you were doing. When I saw that Beatrix wasn't here, I knew she hadn't taken a look at you yet. Decided to stay here with you until she did. That's all."

"I appreciate that, thanks." He managed a smile then.

"Nothing to thank me for." She told him. "Oh, and speaking of which, some of the others will probably be by soon."

"Really? What for?" He questioned.

"To check on you, make sure you're okay, like me." She said matter-of-factly, like he should already know this.

"But I'm fine." He claimed. "She's supposed to change my bandages, but honestly, she's probably going to end up taking them off period. Her healing arts, despite what she says, went a long way in fixing me up. My ribs have been fine for a couple days now, and I bet the hole in my shoulder is gone too at this point." He accentuated this fact by rolling his right shoulder, showing that he was clearly in no pain whatsoever.

Fie opted to not respond, though her eyes made it clear she was skeptical of such a claim.

Before Rean could try and convince her further, the sound of another voice caught their attention.

"Yo, Rean-Boy!" Crow greeted, as he poked his head around to the bed section of the nurse's office.

"Crow?" The unarmed swordsman spoke his name with a bit of surprise, he hadn't expected to get another visit from him. Especially since he only popped up occasionally, and he had met his quota for the week when he stopped by the morning after Rean and the rest of Group A had returned from Celdic, to make sure the raven-haired boy was alright.

"The one and only." The white haired teen affirmed as he stepped around, three others doing the same, having come in with him.

"Hey Rean." Elliot waved to his friend.

"You look well." Gaius noted.

"Feeling better?" Machias posed to his pal.

"Hey guys." Rean greeted them in return, his smile widening some. "Much better actually. My ribs are fully healed, and my shoulder isn't bugging me anymore. So, I should be good to go." He informed them, as he got off the bed and to his feet. "Though, didn't I tell you this the day before?"

"That's good to hear." The timid violinist remarked.

"Indeed." The softspoken nord agreed.

"You did." Machias confirmed for Rean. "That doesn't stop us from worrying though. Your injuries were pretty serious, after all. Under normal circumstances, it would take you months to recover. So being able to do so in a single week, even with the help of arts, is more than a little far-fetched."

"Fair point." The humble boy conceded.

"I thought my group's field study went bad, but compared to what happened to you guys, we got off easy." The bespectacled teen continued, shaking his head as he did. "I mean, your entire ribcage shattered? Shot in the shoulder? Just what do you think you're made of?" He qustioned his fellow teen. "Not to mention Gaius's and Laura's injuries, thankfully they weren't nearly as severe as yours, but still."

"Yeah, I was caught off guard when I heard what happened too. Seriously man, what kind of star were you born under?" Crow wondered aloud with some mirth. "You just seem to attract trouble like a magnet. Between your first day here in Trista and your first field study, things are not shaping up too good for you."

"Yeah, don't remind me..." Rean replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he recalled what seemed to be the beginning of a forming incoming streak of bad luck.

"Anyway..." He changed the subject once more, his hand returning to his side as he did. "It's not that I don't appreciate it or anything, but you guys really didn't have to stop by. I told you yesterday, I'm fine. And besides, isn't the next period about to start?" He reminded them. "That goes for you too, Fie." He added, taking a quick glance back at her as he did.

"Well, I suppose you're right, but..." The orange-haired teen began.

"We decided seeing how our friend was doing was more important." The dark brown-haired foreigner finished.

"Plus, we've got a few minutes, it'll be fine. I won't let us be late." Machias assured, as he fixed his glasses.

"I'd rather sit here with you." Fie, the only one not standing at the moment, said honestly.

"I'm skippin, just decided I'd spend the time it allotted me to come check on you." Crow apprised bluntly.

The grey-tinted fuschia eyed seventeen year old sighed at this, though more at Fie and Crow's responses rather than the other three, as at least they intended to get to class. "Fie, you really shouldn't be skipping class." He told her, before shifting his focus to Crow. "And Crow, you're our senior, shouldn't you be trying to set an example?"

Only the shrugging of their shoulders followed, neither truly replying to his words, causing him to sigh once more.

"Rean." The sound of another voice, distinctly feminine, caught the attention of the teens. Eyes drifting toward the footsteps, as the female came around to where they were in the room, they laid irises upon Laura.

"I'm glad to see you're well." She acknowleded his apparent recovery with a smile, able to tell he was no longer burdened by the pain of his injuries.

"Thanks Laura."

"That said, I came by to see if you felt up to-" The well spoken swordswoman's words just about died in her throat, as her eyes met Fie's, just now noticing her presence. Said former jaeger was still seated, nearly entirely hidden behind Rean's form as a result.

When both girls locked gazes, they proceeded to maintain eye contact for several moments, neither turning away or saying a single word to break the silence that had been created by them.

"Laura?" Rean's confusion at her reaction was shared amongst the others, with the exception of one yellow-green eyed fifteen year old, as they all gave her questioning looks.

"On second thought, perhaps another time." The blue-haired noble retracted her previous, unfinished, sentence, her demeanor noticably altered. "It's good to see you back at full health." She pointedly said to Rean. "Now, if you will excuse me, I should be going. Third period is about to start." With that said, Laura proceeded to turn around and leave the room without another word.

"What was that all about?" Rean vocalized his bewilderment, eyes blinking several times in confusion.

The other four males didn't have too much of a clue on the subject either it seemed.

Fie though, she had a pretty clear picture of what this was now.

...

Only moments after Gaius, Machias and Elliot had went on their way to class, Beatrix had returned, the aging woman noticeably not remarking on either Fie or Crow's presence despite the fact class was about to start.

Guiding Rean back to the bed he had fallen asleep in, she had him sit down, while she sat in a chair across from him, Fie vacating it to allow her to do so. Since the nurse had to get at his bandages, he began unbottoning his jacket, before sliding it off. From there he removed his tie and shirt, pulling it up over his head, revealing the bandages wrapped around most of his torso under it.

"Not going to leave the room? Turn around? Avert your eyes?" Crow questioned the silver-haired girl beside him, as the instructor began to remove Rean's bandages. "Most girls do when a guy starts getting undressed."

"Nope." She answered bluntly, not elaborating any further than that.

"Fair enough." Crow replied with a nod of his head, apparently not needing any more of an explanation than what was provided.

The bandages fully removed, Beatrix gave Rean's abdomen a once over, checking to see if he felt any pain concerning his ribs or shoulder with simple pressure application to the areas, only to find that he was right, he was no longer feeling any pain from the previously injured areas. "It seems you're back at a hundred percent, so you shouldn't need any new bandages." The greying woman informed him. "That said, don't go overexerting yourself." She cautioned him. "Healing arts can work miracles, but they can't replace proper medical care. I only agreed to cast them on you because you needed to be back on your feet before your next field study. It was unfortunate, but necessary, for you and your classmates."

As Beatrix continued to speak with Rean, Crow noticed something peculiar out of the corner of his eye.

What was it? The fact that Fie was staring at Rean's bare upper body, hard. Not exactly weird, she could just like what she saw. No, what made it strange, was the fact that she was staring at one specific point, the back of his left shoulder. 'She couldn't be worrying over the gunshot wound, it's not there anymore. That's not even where he took the bullet either...' The red eyed eighteen year old noted to himself.

That's when he realized there was a scar there, light red with a pinkish tint in color, exactly where her eyes were planted. It was feint, only really noticeable if you were right up on it, but it was most certainly present. 'Now what is this about...?" He couldn't help but wonder to himself, watching as the young girl continued to eye it, as if the sight of it somehow offended her. Though if it did, nothing but her stare gave it away. 'Consider my curiosity peaked...' His eyes shifted back to his male junior then. 'Especially considering the other, much larger, scar on his chest. Where, or what, in the hell did he get that from?'

Finished with Rean, Beatrix gave him the go ahead to go to class and returned to her desk, breaking Crow and Fie from their individual states of thought.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Crow spoke up, getting Rean's attention as he put his shirt back on, turning around to face the older teen as he did.

"What's up?" The black-haired boy asked.

"I have no idea how it happened, but somehow, the whole school knows about your dirty little secrets." The bandanna wearing second year let his fellow male know.

"My dirty little...what?" Was Rean's confused response. "And wait, secrets? As in plural? What are you talking about?" He questioned as he finished with his tie and began putting his blazer back on.

"I figured you didn't know yet." The eldest of the three teens remarked. "Not sure how it got out, but not only does the entirety of the school body know about you being Baron Schwarzer's adopted son, they also know about her." He informed, gesturing to Fie with his thumb as he did.

"You mean...?" Rean trailed off, as he realized the white haired eighteen year old had been addressing him and Fie. 'The entire school knows about Fie's past as a jaeger.' He realized.

"How in the hell...?" Rean couldn't help but wonder how that could have gotten out like that, and so fast too. The bewilderment written so clearly on his face would have made Crow chuckle, if it wasn't for the fact that he could tell this bothered the younger teen.

"Whatever. It was only a matter of time anyway." Fie brushed this news off like nothing, simply shrugging her shoulders yet again.

With that, Rean sighed for, what seemed like, the umpteenth time today. "Great."

* * *

 **5/3 - Monday**

Fifth Period, Gender Divided Lessons.  
Girls-Nutritional Science/Cooking

Instructor Mary stood back and observed as her students, those from Class VII and Class I, began their cooking prep. Using the space that the Cooking Club Room provided, the girls were able to work together with their classmates at individual tables. The girls of Class VII at the first table, and the girls of Class I at the second table, behind them. Thus, preventing any incidents of tripping over each other or bumping into one and other, as well as getting ingredients mixed up with others and/or accidentally putting them in the other group's dishes.

The females of Class VII did their best to follow their teacher's instructions, Fie whisking something in a bowl, Emma watching her and making sure she didn't go overboard, and Alisa and Laura picking out the foodstuffs they desired to put in their culinary concoction. However, it was more than a little distracting hearing snooty nobles talk about you, literally behind your back...

"Why did Lady Laura have to be placed in a class like that?" A blonde upper-class girl wondered aloud, softly enough to not be heard by the instructor. "I was truly looking forward to studying alongside her!"

"Is that girl next to her not the one who scored highest on the entrance exam?" The upper-class girl beside her, who had pinkish-brown hair, queried.

"I believe so." The first girl said with a nod. "Though I also hear she's a mere commoner." The way she said this, it was clear that it was hard for her to believe such a thing.

"There's something about the silver-haired girl that I find oddly soothing." A third upper-class girl, with strawberry blonde hair, suddenly stated. "I wonder if she'd let me stroke her hair, were I to ask nicely?" Unlike the other blonde, there were no negative connotations associated with her words. She was merely curious and a tad fascinated.

"...Could they make it just a little less obvious they're talking about us? I mean, seriously!" Alisa complained to her classmates.

"It stands to reason they'd be curious about our class. It's hard to blame them for that, at least." Laura reasoned. "Though it's fair to say that they could do with a little more tact."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The first noble girl behind them cautioned the other.

"And why not?" The third asked. "The worst she could do is say no."

"Haven't you heard? She used to be a jaeger." The first blonde girl let the other know, lowering her voice to a pseudo whisper as she did. Not that it stopped those in front of them from hearing her words.

"A jaeger!?" The strawberry blonde gasped. "You mean those disgustingly foul mercenary types?" She questioned, greatly shocked.

Laura let her eyes drift to Fie then, watching the girl for a reaction. However, the only sign that the fifteen year old gave that she had heard them, was to speed up her whisking. Considering she had already been going at a fairly brisk pace as it was though, it was more than unnecessary.

"I heard she was a part of one of the biggest Corps on the continent." The pinkish-brown haired noble girl commented.

"That precious little thing!?" The third noble girl's incredulousness was almost palpable.

"Don't let her appearance fool you. She's probably been in more battles than we can count." The second girl told her.

"Probably killed just as many people too." The first blonde girl added.

The pace of Fie's whisking increased again, showing that their words did bother her, even if she gave no other clear indicators of this fact.

"Uh, Fie...I think you've whisked that plenty already." Emma attempted to calm the younger girl's furious whisking, to no avail.

In that moment, Laura felt conflicted. As while there was no doubt that the girls behind them were being disrespectful, rude and just plain mean... 'They're not wrong.' She felt rather guilty for such a thought, but it was true, was it not? 'Jaegers slaughter hordes of people for a simple sum of mira, this is a fact. They're scoundrels, villains, some are even monsters.' Even as this went through her head, it was difficult for her to associate such things with the small girl to her far left. 'But with her strength and combat prowess, there can be no doubt that she is a former jaeger.'

"Just who do they think they are!?" Alisa exclaimed, clearly more upset by it than even Fie herself was. In fact, she would like nothing more than to give them a piece of her mind. She was already turning around to do so, actually. What stopped her in her tracks, was the fourth girl at the table behind them.

"That's quite enough gossip and idle chatter!" A girl with violet hair and yellow eyes, that Alisa recognized as one Ferris Florald from the Lacrosse Club, snapped at the other Class I females. "We are members of Class I. We are above such droll behavior!" She dictated. "As well..." She continued. "We cannot allow ourselves to be bettered by that rabble, even in something as insignificant as the culinary arts."

The three noble girls quickly apologized, though not to any of Class VII, and got back to work preparing their dish.

...

Boys-Orbal Computer Primer

Instructor Makarov did little more than stand at the front of the Computer Room, and wait for one of his students to have some kind of problem they needed help with, while also hoping that they wouldn't need any help. He did at least show them the basics though, so there was that. This still allowed them to do as they wished, not that he cared, as long as they did their work he didn't care what they did. Hands off was his thing.

Since this was the case, no fuss was put up about the fact that Gaius, who was on the right, and Elliot and Machias, who were on the left, all stood by Rean's desk, where he was finishing his assignment up on the computer.

"I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of using an orbal computer." Rean divulged, as he put the finishing touch on his assignment.

"Likewise. I was lost at first, but it's slowly beginning to make more sense." Gaius concurred.

"Well, it is cutting edge technology here in Erebonia, so I think most people are confused until they've gotten used to it." Elliot opined. "Machias and Jusis both picked it up surprisingly quickly, though." He mentioned, looking toward said green-haired friend as he did.

"Yeah, but academics are their thing." Rean stated. "And I'm pretty sure Machias has been interested in computers for a while, too. Right?"

Said bespectacled teen nodded his head affirmatively at that, paying more attention to the happenings on Rean's screen than the conversation.

"Jusis also seems to get the hang of things far quicker than most people, even if he's not interested in them at all." The timid violinist pointed out. "Which probably just adds insult to injury, huh?" He questioned Machias sheepishly, as he realized he probably shouldn't have said such a thing.

Machias gave a grunt of dissatisfaction, which was accompanied by a frown, however, he gave no real verbal response. His eyes were still fixed to the screen of the computer. That is, until he said he'd be right back and returned to his computer, four ahead in the row from this one.

"You hit the nail on the head." The humble swordsman said then, referring to Elliot's words on the two hostile teens. "I mean, you saw them after we got back to Trista. They had been butting heads all field study long, figuratively, and literally."

The orange-haired sixteen year old sighed at that. "We really need to do something about them. But I have no idea what."

"I don't either, but you're right. This has gone on for way too long as it is. It needs to stop." The black-haired seventeen year old agreed. "We don't need them coming to blows every time they happen to get sent on a field study together."

"Yeah, that would be bad for everyone involved." Elliot added with a nod of his head.

Machias returned then, taking his former place by Elliot on Rean's left, when he realized the other three males were looking right at him. "What?" He inquired.

"Look, I know the two of you getting along is about as likely as Erebonia and Calvard making peace with one and other, but you and Jusis really need to stop with all the fighting." Rean bluntly advised his friend.

"What!?" He repeated with a bit of aggravation.

"We understand that you two don't see eye to eye, but it would be better for everyone if you could both give each other a break." Gaius said in a similar vein.

"If you're so concerned about this, why aren't you talking to that pompous ass!?" Machias demanded.

"To be fair Machias, it takes two." Elliot pointed out.

"Perhaps, but he's the one-" Machias attempted to argue, only to be cut off.

"Dude, you guys came back from your field study sporting black eyes. You literally knocked each other's lights out." Rean reminded the green-haired teen. "As a result, your group barely got their tasks done at all. This conflict between you two has gone far enough." He dictated.

Machias opened his mouth to retort, but quickly thought better of it, his words dying in his throat. He realized that they were absolutely correct. So, with a sigh, he admitted as much. "You're right. It's just..."

"He gets under your skin." Elliot finished for him.

"Exactly. Only so much worse." The bespectacled teen affirmed.

"To be fair, I think you get under his too." Rean shared.

Before this conversation could actually become productive in solving the issue between the two antagonists of Class VII, a fifth, new voice, interjected into the conversation.

"Rean Schwarzer."

"Huh?" Elliot verbalized his confusion, as the four of them turned their heads to see the source of the voice.

It had come from none other than Patrick, the noble student who had bumped into them last month.

"I-Isn't he from Class I?" The emerald green eyed sixteen year old questioned, despite already having his answer by looking at the boy's uniform.

"Patrick, is it?" Rean asked.

"That is correct." Patrick confirmed. "My full name is Patrick T. Hyarms. I don't believe I need to say anything more than that." He finished, confidence flowing in waves.

"What!?" Elliot exclaimed with surprise.

"So...you're from the Hyarms family." The grey-tinted fuchsia eyed teen acknowledged this fact.

"Are they prestigious?" Gaius inquired, curious.

"About as prestigious as they come. The Hyarmses are one of the Four Great Houses!" Elliot explained quickly. "...Though they're slightly lower in rank than the Albareas." He added as an afternote without thinking.

This displeased Patrick, the noble showing as much by clearing his throat and glaring in Elliot's direction.

"I-I'm sorry! I meant no offense!" The timid violinist hurriedly apologized.

"Don't apologize." Machias told his friend. "Who cares if this-"

"Hmph. It doesn't matter. I didn't come here to talk to commoners or foreigners." Patrick rebutted, his distaste for both worn out on his sleeve.

Machias scowled at the noble's interruption, but opted not to press it further and start a fight.

Taking a few steps closer, the blonde noble came to Rean's side before continuing. "I came to bring gladsome tidings to you, Rean Schwarzer." He informed, now smiling. "I am generously extending you welcome, to make use of the accommodations on the third floor of the Student Union building."

"You mean...?"

"The third floor?" Gaius repeated.

"That's where the nobles' salon is, right?" The orange-haired teen questioned.

"Your father may be a mere baron, but that still makes you a noble." Somehow, the blonde managed to speak the word baron in such a way that made it sound completely insignificant. "And though you've had the misfortune of sharing a class with this..." He paused for a moment then, pointedly looking between Gaius, Elliot and Machias before he finished his sentence. "...riffraff."

Machias had to clench his fists tight, and bite his tongue to keep himself from snapping back at the upper-class boy.

"I have decided to use my good name as a member of the Hyarms family to afford you the privilege of joining us." Patrick informed his fellow noble, flipping his bangs as his smile turned smug. "I do hope you appreciate it."

At this point, Rean had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He tried his best to be amicable with everyone he met, but with people like this, well...it certainly wasn't the easiest thing to do in the world. "Um, well...I do appreciate that...but, uh..." He struggled to find the words to turn the noble boy down. He didn't need to go around offending or pissing people off, but he most certainly wasn't hanging out with this guy in any way once so ever.

If Rean wouldn't answer the upper-class blonde, Machias surely would. He wanted nothing more than to tell the punk off. The only thing that stopped him, was the appearance of someone else.

"This hardly strikes me as the best place to be recruiting new members." Jusis spoke with an audible sigh, getting the five teenagers attention on him.

"Jusus Albarea?!" Patrick spoke his fellow four great houses noble's name with surprise, as he turned around to face him.

"I wasn't aware the third son of the Hyarms family counted playing factions among his hobbies." Jusis remarked. "If you wished for company in the salon, should you not have come to me first?"

"You? You've been invited countless times. You simply choose not to come!" Patrick retorted. "Despite there being no shortage of second years practically begging for your company..."

"I have no interest." Jusis said with indifference and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Hmph. Suit yourself then." Patrick turned back to Rean once more. "But you, Schwarzer!" He addressed the swordsman. "Make sure you think long and hard about this. If you care about your future, you need to start thinking about the connections you're making...and the sides you're taking." With that, the third son of the Hyarms family proceeded to walk off.

"He's certainly not shy." Gaius remarked with a tad bit of mirth.

"I don't think anyone else would be so kind in their description of him, Gaius." Elliot commented. "Including me."

"I can't put into words how much I wanted to punch that guy." Machias confessed.

"I'm not sure I would have blamed you if you did. " Rean admitted. "Thanks for stepping in, Jusis." The dark-haired teen said, as he looked toward said blonde.

"Hmph. I wasn't trying to help you. But, I did cause you some trouble during last month's field study, so...I will make it right, when the opportunity to do so arises." The usual arrogance that flowed from his tone was noticeably absent. "Also...no, that's all." Jusis cut himself short, before turning around and going back to his seat.

'Was he...staring at my shoulder?' Rean wondered to himself, having noticed how his eyes had zoned in on the area.

"Last month's field study? Is he...?" Elliot started to question.

"Yeah, I think he means the run-in we had with the provincial army." Rean answered, pushing his current thoughts aside.

"Ah, so he feels partially responsible for his family's actions, then." Gaius inferred. "He must be looking for a way to apologize to you."

"There's a first." Machias denigrated. "The thought of him apologizing for anything is ludicrous."

"Huh...I guess he has a nice side after all." The emerald green eyed teen opined.

"Why me specifically? The provincial army gave our whole group trouble." Rean pondered aloud then.

"Well, yeah, but you're the only one who got shot because of it." Elliot pointed out.

Rather than respond to that, Rean simply let his eyes wander over to Jusis, to see him taking his seat. "Is that it...?"

* * *

 **5/4 - Tuesday**

"Thanks for the other day Nicholas." Rean vocalized his gratitude to the older teen.

"No problem. I figured Ramsay would have some passion leaves left." Nicholas said kindly with a wave of his hand, gesturing that it was no big deal. "Was there enough for Fred to cook his special dishes with?"

"More than enough." Rean answered with a nod of his head.

"That's good to hear." The student chef replied with a smile.

"So, what was that you needed?" The humble swordsman questioned.

"Oh, I don't need anything. I requested your presence so I could give you this." The brown-haired eighteen year old told him, as he handed him a book.

Rean took the book from him and examined it for a brief moment. "A recipe book?" He queried. "An empty recipe book." He corrected himself, as he opened it and flipped through a few pages.

"Have you ever cooked?" The teen, who never seemed to open his eyes and yet could see just fine, inquired suddenly.

"Uh, yeah, a bit." The black-haired boy said with a nod. "Just the basics though."

"Well, use that as incentive to go beyond your comfort zone. Try and fill it up before the end of the year." Nicholas challenged his fellow teenager. "It's a good way to broaden your horizons a bit." He added.

"Sure, thanks." The grey-tinted fuchsia eyed teen said, as he put the book away in his jacket.

"That's all. Oh, unless, of course, you wanted to try cooking something now?" Nicholas proposed.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I should get going. Next time though." He politely declined.

"Alright, fair enough."

Turning and exiting the cooking club room, Rean noticed something out the corner of his left eye, Elliot alone in the music room. Violin in hand, he looked like he was about to play. 'Wouldn't hurt to listen in for a bit.' He thought to himself.

Turning to his left, he moved a dozen or so paces forward, entering the music room, unbeknownst to the orange-haired teen, as he began to play. With his back to him, he failed to notice as Rean moved a bit closer and took a seat.

For a number of minutes, the swordsman sat there and listened as his friend played his instrument. It was precise and controlled, yet full of passion. It was clear that he was quite talented.

...

As Elliot's playing came to a stop, the sixteen year old let out a sigh of relief. "Ahh...nothing relaxes me quite like cradling a violin in my hands." He spoke to himself. "Especially since I haven't really had any time to play recently."

"Well, you certainly look happy." Rean said then, announcing his presence and nearly startling Elliot.

"Oh, it's just you Rean. You scared me there for a moment." He confessed, as he turned around to face his fellow teen.

"Sorry about that." Rean said with a chuckle. "You really do look ecstatic though. I didn't think playing the violin meant that much to you."

"Haha. It's that obvious, huh?" Elliot asked, though he already had his answer. "I'm planning on pretty much spending the few hours we've got left before curfew just playing, so it's not like I can deny it."

"Would you mind if I listened in for awhile longer?" Rean inquired.

"Oh, sure, be my guest."

...

"...So, what'd you think?" Elliot asked, having come to a stop.

"I'm impressed."

"Haha, you mean it? Good to hear." Elliot sported a rather large smile at having been praised for his ability.

"It seems like you're really enjoying yourself when you play, too." Rean remarked. "I can practically hear your love for music in every note."

"Ahaha, cut it out, you're embarrassing me." The timid violinist told his friend, a bit of red dusting his cheeks, "Oh, by the way..."

"Hm?"

"I've been wondering about this for a while, but...you're a musician yourself, aren't you, Rean?" The emerald-green eyed boy queried.

"Er, kinda...what tipped you off?" Rean posed to his friend, more than a little shocked that he had been able to tell.

"It was just a feeling I had." The sixteen year old divulged. "I can't really explain it, but it's like I can tell if someone has even the slightest bit of musical experience."

"Eh..." Rean couldn't help but sweatdrop at this."The slightest bit is right. I used to play the lute for a while back home, but that's it. Still, that's a pretty impressive sense you have. You're really on another level when it comes to anything musical." He complimented his friend.

"Ahaha...I think you might be exaggerating just a little." Elliot said, as he scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"Not at all." Rean told him as he shook his head. "Most people wouldn't pick up on something like that. It shows the extent of your passion for music. That's something I respect."

"Passion isn't enough though. Not in music." Elliot suddenly stated, somewhat solemnly. "If I want to get better, I'm going to need better equipment." The joy that had previously filled his visage had all but completely fled at this point. "But given the compromise, I can't even ask for that." He lamented in a low tone.

"What compromise?" Rean probed with a quirked brow.

At that, Elliot opened his mouth to tell his friend to not worry about it, but found himself second guessing himself on that, and failed to speak at all as a result and simply closed his mouth once more.

"Elliot?"

Several more moments of silence passed, before the timid violinist finally decided to speak up. "My dad is...a lieutenant general in the imperial army. He lives his entire life around that. He's a military man to the core, at work and at home. And while he enjoys music too, he...he doesn't believe a man of the empire should make a living as a musician. It just doesn't sit right with him. As a hobby it's fine, but as a career, it's a no-go. Because of that..." The orange-haired teen trailed off.

"That's why you didn't go to a music academy." Rean finished for him, having just come to the realization.

"Yeah..." Elliot confirmed with a nod of his head. "When I brought it up, he steadfastly refused. And afterwards, he began recommending one military academy after the other. I had no real choice in the matter, if I wanted to appease him, I had to go to one. It got to the point where just the words military and academy together got me upset. I hated it." The look of sadness in his eyes and the twinge of resentment in his tone made for quite the combination, it was almost as if he was a different person in that moment.

"Elliot..."

"That's when I thought of Thors. It was a military academy, but unlike others, not everyone who graduated from it went into the army. People who have graduated from here have gone on to become cooks, mechanics, politicians and all sorts of other things. On top of that, I read that it had music classes as well. I knew it was my only way out. So, my father and I compromised. I would enroll in a military academy like he wanted, but it had to be Thors. So...here I am." Elliot finished with a sigh.

"I didn't know you had something like that weighing you down this whole time. I mean, I noticed something was off, but I didn't know it was something as heavy as that. I'm sorry." Rean apologized to his friend, his sympathy audible in his words. He knew what it was to carry emotional weight, and no matter how small, it was never, ever, easy.

"No, it's okay." Elliot assured his friend with a shake of his head. "Honestly, it just feels good to get it off my chest. So, thank you for listening." He regained his smile at this.

"Anytime." Rean replied, smiling in return.

* * *

 **5/5 - Wednesday**

Rean had found himself near the Art Club Room, and decided to drop by. After meeting Clara, who didn't bother to look up from her sculpting and just muttered something at him, and Linde, who kindly greeted him, he stepped over to Gaius's side. Watching him sketch, after asking if he could, the two conversed about how he drew and painted back home, mostly just landscapes, and that he had taught himself. They went on to talk about Clara's criticisms regarding Gaius's so called lack of artistic technique, as well as how the soft-spoken nord was doing his best to take what was thrown his way while here in Erebonia and make it his own. From there, the two fell into a comfortable silence, as one sketched and the other watched.

Eventually, it came to an end, shortly after Linde left for a bathroom break, in fact. Gaius suddenly stopped, before pointedly looking at his friend. "Rean, are you doing alright?"

"Uh, do I not look alright?" Rean asked, a little confused. "I mean, it's like I said, I'm fully healed. Ready to go and all that."

Gaius went quiet at that, locking eyes with Rean as he did. He knew his friend was hiding something, bottling it up. He just didn't know what. He wanted to help. 'If he doesn't wish to tell me on his own, I shouldn't push the subject.' The gentle spearman thought to himself.

"Okay, Rean." He said with a nod of his head. "Just remember, anytime you need someone to talk to, I'm willing to lend an ear." He apprised his fellow teen. "After all, that's what friends do, isn't it?" He finished with a smile.

"Right. Thanks Gaius, I appreciate that." Rean voiced his gratitude with a smile of his own.

Realizing he still had a few places to go, Rean bid his friend farewell and proceeded to leave the Art Club Room. 'Wait, did Gaius just poke fun of what I said to Elliot during our field study?' He couldn't help but wonder to himself as he made his way down the hallway. 'No, couldn't be. He's too earnest a guy to do something like that.'

* * *

 **5/6 - Thursday**

Rean and Fie sat in comfortable silence on a bench, in the park, smack dab in the middle of Trista. The same one she had been lying on when they had unexpectedly reunited. There weren't many people about, most of the citizens crammed into Kirsche's for the dinner rush, or tucked away in their homes, eating what their parents or spouses had prepared for them. This, for all intents and purposes, left them pretty much alone.

"Fie, I'm sorry." Rean suddenly apologized.

"Hmm?" She hummed, eyes shifting toward him as she gave him a questioning look.

"It isn't fair that everyone found out about your past as a jaeger, not this way. You should have been the one to tell them." He clarified, making it clear he was apologizing for the fact that it had happened, not for something he had done.

"Not your fault." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "It was bound to get out eventually. Though..." Her expressionless visage shifted for a moment then. "I do wish I had been the one to tell them." And just like that, it was back. "But, no use in crying over spilled milk and all that." She dismissed the whole thing nonchalantly.

"Fie..." The black-haired boy breathed her name, unsure of what to say to that.

The center of Trista was all but barren of people, with the exception of little Tyzel doing some dusting and other menial tasks outside her father's store, and Jane tending to her flowers. And they were busy with their work, and as a result were too caught up to hear anything said by the teens. The duo quickly found out, however, that there was one more person out and about, and he had most certainly heard their conversation. Deciding now was the best time to announce his presence, he did so.

"Wassup, love birds?" Came the voice of Crow, getting their attention on him, just as he hopped the railing and proceeded to land on the exact bench they were sitting on. His ass plopping down in the space between the childhood friends, he hit his mark dead on.

"L-Love b-birds?" Rean repeated, nearly tripping over the simple words. "What are you-"

"Oh, don't try and deny it." Crow said with a wry grin. "It's almost sunset, you're sitting together in a nice little park, basically alone...it just screams date."

As Rean began spluttering, trying his best to explain that this wasn't the case, doing so with a blush, Fie couldn't help but think to herself, 'Where the hell did he come from? I couldn't sense him at all...'

"Alright, alright. If you say so." Crow conceded with a shake of his head, the wry grin remaining, showing he didn't really believe Rean's words about this not being a date. "Anyway, I was out on a stroll, when I noticed you two all stiff and serious over here, so I decided to drop by."

"Great." Fie spoke with a roll of her eyes, tone oozing pure sarcasm. Even as she did, in the back of her head, she continued to wonder, 'How did he sneak up on me like that?'

"Oh, come now, don't be like that." The white-haired teen said, as he threw his arm around Rean's shoulder, beginning to lean into him as he did. "I came to offer my aid."

"Uh, with what?" Rean asked with a quirk of his brow, having calmed down from his spluttering state at this point.

"Why, I've come to play your wingman, of course." The red-eyed teen informed him with glee. "We all know that it'll take you forever to make a move, so I'm here to speed things along." He finished bluntly.

"Excuse me?" Was Fie's questioning response, now quirking a brow of her own.

"Crow!" Rean snapped. "I already told you, it's not like that! we're just friends, that's all!" He insisted, more than a little aggravated with his older friend at this point. He really didn't need this carefree slacker making things awkward between him and Fie, so his aggravation was understandable.

It went unnoticed by Rean, but Fie almost seemed to wince at those words. Crow noticed, but only barely, as the stoic girl did her best to conceal this reaction of hers.

"Aww, don't be like that." Crow fake whined. "Why are you so hostile Rean-Boy? You usually have so much patience."

"You seem to drain it right out of me." The humble swordsman rebutted, as he removed the older boy's arm from his shoulder.

"That's just a joke waiting to be made." Crow pointed out the teen's choice of words, his wry grin widening.

Rean simply rolled his eyes at that.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You two wanna be alone. Don't worry, this third wheel's rolling on out of here." Crow assured, getting to his feet, his grin fading.

"I already told you, it's not-" Rean didn't get the chance to finish, as Crow was already walking away, all but ignoring the younger teen.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Rean hung his head. "That guy...he really gets to me sometimes." The teen confessed aloud. 'How does he do it?' He wondered to himself. At this point, he couldn't even be angry. He was just dumbfounded. 'I use every ounce of restraint I have to keep my emotions in check at all times, and yet, somehow, he always manages to get me to loosen my control. Not completely, but still. How does he do that?' Glancing in Fie's direction for the briefest moment, he thought, 'He's like Fie in that way.'

"Have you thought about what I said?" Fie suddenly inquired, once Crow was out of sight.

'What's that?" Rean queried, pushing his thoughts regarding Crow to the back of his mind.

The silver-haired girl need not answer, as when the two childhood friends locked eyes, the older of the two knew what she was talking about. _"It's not your kindness that's faded, nor is it that big heart you've always had, or your honest, straight forward nature. But something's missing. As far as I can tell, you're not...entirely there."_ Her words from last month echoed in his head.

"Yeah." The dark-haired teen answered affirmatively with a nod of his head, suddenly much more reserved than before.

"Do you finally wanna talk about it?" She asked of him, her tone solicitous.

The seventeen year old was silent at that for a number of moments, unsure of how he wanted to answer.

Sensing his still abundant hesitance, Fie came to a sudden decision. Reaching out, she took hold of his right hand in hers, getting his attention on her once more. Yellow-green orbs meeting grey-tinted fuchsia, she spoke. "Come with me."

...

Fie led Rean by his hand through Trista to the academy grounds, before circling the main building and coming to a stop on the academy field. Leading him to the center, she released her grip on his hand, before turning to face him.

"Fie, why are we here?" He questioned.

"I have a proposition for you." She told him straight up, no beating around the bush.

"What kind of proposition?" He questioned further, curious as to where this was going.

"I know you train on your own in your room every night." She stated. "Instead, meet me here on the field after school. From now on, we'll train together."

"I don't understand. What does this have to do with-" Rean began, only for Fie to answer his query before he could finish it.

"Zephyr taught me a lot, I can share what they taught me with you." Her usual emotionless visage fell away, as a earnest expression took it's place. "I'll teach you everything I learned in the corp. I can make you stronger that way."

Rean wasn't sure how to respond.

"That's what you want, isn't it? To become stronger? So you can protect Elise, and me?"

"Yeah." He answered with a nod, uncertainty about this already fading.

"That won't work right now. I'm stronger than you. But, we can change that. But...not for nothing."

"Wait, you mean-" Rean started, catching onto what she was getting at.

"I will help you become stronger, but in return, I want you to confide in me. I want to know what this extra weight you've been carrying is. I can see it, there behind your eyes. And it's driving me crazy not knowing what's wrong." Her tone contained frustration and sadness, she was almost downright desperate to help at this point. "You don't have to tell me right away. I can wait a little longer. But, it has to be soon."

After letting her words sink in for a few moments, she finished with, "So, do we have a deal?"

Rean closed his eyes then, as he thought this over. He hadn't been given a chance to get in a single word, but that was probably the point. He would have undoubtedly steered the talk somewhere else, away from this. As he didn't want to tell her. 'I don't wish to burden you with my petty problems...'

Still, this was too good an opportunity to pass up, and he knew it. 'If I want to get strong enough to protect Fie, this is my only real option.'

So, he bit the bullet. "Fine, you win."

Fie couldn't help but smile at this.

Rean simply returned the smile and asked, "So, when do we start?"

"Right now."

* * *

END NOTE: I had intended to put this out yesterday, the day Trails of Cold Steel was released on PC. But alas, it just didn't work out. Oh well, one day late isn't too bad. Hope you guys liked it. Also, not too happy with the title. If any of you guys can think of anything better, let me know. It's not that I hate what I picked for the title of this chapter, it's just...meh. Couldn't think of anything better with what actually happened in said chapter though. Okay, stopping now, cause I'ma start rambling if I don't.


	9. Things Unspoken

Apex85: Okay. Agreed.

I can see where you're coming from, but as far as I'm aware, Patrick always knew that Rean was an adopted noble. Well, by always, I mean since he approached him in chapter two. I can't recall any statements, hints or suggestions to prove otherwise. I took his reaction to Rean after the mock battle for Patrick being petty, snobbish and lashing out because of his hurt pride. He's definitely that sort of person, until he betters himself, but that's beside the point. I could be wrong, of course, wouldn't be the first time, but yeah, pretty sure he knew that in canon. That said, he didn't give him all that much respect, he was pompous the whole time and acted as if he was doing Rean such a huge favor for such an insignificant gesture. So...yeah.

Yeah...you don't like Crow very much do you? That's unfortunate, but understandable. I mean, he sure as hell pissed me off with some of the shit he pulled, so I can't really blame ya too much. I love the guy though, he's tied for my second favorite character after all. That aside, yeah, Fie would notice something like that, so it only seemed natural. I intend it to go differently, for sure. I'm just not a hundred percent sure how differently, or how exactly I wish to do it yet.

Jose19: Wha...? Why? Just why? That has literally no baring on my response to your review. Nor does it have any correlation to what happened in the intermission. So why bring it up? Also, Rean's adopted, so it isn't incest. I'm guessing you have some kind of problem with it? A main focal point for one of the previous installments, the Sky series, was the relationship between two people who were adopted siblings. Their relationship, and the romantic aspects of it later, were a driving force in the plot, to a degree. So...yeah. If that bugged you or anything, then you might not want to play the Sky games...

And again, I ask, why bring this up? Seems pretty random.

RedBurningDragon: Thank you.

Heero De Fanel: It should be, I mean, I certainly intend it to. Thanks. I intend to do much more based around the npcs, just haven't gotten around to it yet. In particular, I have something special planned for Vivi, as well as Rex. What? Well, I'm not gonna tell you, you'll just have to find out for yourself. Eventually. Agreed. And the number of people coming to see him when he gets hurt will only increase, as he forges and strengthens relationships. That's, of course, obvious though.

Guest: Well, that's not a bad guess, that's for sure. Whether you're right or not, you'll just have to find out for yourself. :P As for if Rean will transform earlier than in the game, I'll be blunt, yes. How much earlier, or the exact when though, that I'm not telling you. Don't wanna just give stuff away like that, after all.

Null-Nature: Cool, glad someone else managed to find the amazing, fantastic adventure that is Cold Steel. Thank you, and I hope I don't disappoint!

bri333865: Thanks! After all, every review counts! As long as they're longer than five words, of course, but there's no need to get into that whole can of worms. Thank you very much, I appreciate the compliment. Yeah, unfortunately there's not much Rean/Fie going around, and that depresses me, honestly it does. I am, obviously, biased, but they make the best couple out of anyone in the series, yet so few people see that. Anyway, I digress. Good to know, and glad you're looking forward to that. Cool, no need for you to wait any longer, as here is the next chapter.

Manu259: Thank you. Oh, don't worry, I most certainly will. Yeah, hope to hear from you again.

Guest: Um, I guess I can see how you'd think that. But from everything we've seen, at least in the first two games, that's not the case. So...yeah, that's not true. Again, as far as we know.

DarkMegaSF: I know, I knew the day it released. I've been doing my absolute best to avoid spoilers, some have gotten through unfortunately, but for the most part, I'm almost completely in the dark on it. I know there's going to be a fourth one (YAY!) and a few other things, but I won't disclose those in case some of my readers don't know about them. I hope all you guys show me the same courtesy and keep your reviews and any PMs you send me spoiler free. Ugh, man, the wait for it to get localized is going to kill me! I need it, I NEED IT! Ahem, moving on.

One of your favorite pairings? Cool. It is my favorite pairing. Rean X Harem (No, not all of the girls, just some of them, so a small harem) is tied with Rean and Fie, but that too has Fie in it, with Rean...so, yeah, you could say I'm obsessed with those two being together. XD

Thank you, I'm happy you enjoyed it. I hope you continue to enjoy, and read, oh and review...maybe? XP No, but seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I intend to make sure you and everyone else continues to have fun on the ride I plan on taking all of you.

Anyway, once again, thanks to all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update. Korran01, Lyrista, MagneticDucky, Null-Nature, Weanuts, bri333865, FlawlessMirage, DarkMegaSF, Cloud5815, Insanity's Avatar, MaijinUroburous, Manu259, Unlimited Blade Works Ilya, Frostburn243, kight099, Erk Prower, soemitro212, grimofdeath, prodigisk, Shikyo no Kyoufu, Lady Vanatos, blahto, KirochkaSveta, TheWitchHunt, Shashenka, shanagan, Naofumi, Auditto, legok2007, doggy bye, zealousrean, thank you!

Once more, unsure of the title for this one. Have a better name for it? Shoot me a message and we'll talk about it. If not, I'll just leave it as is. Moving on.

This is the longest chapter to date. What you guys think? Hope you like it! Now then, let's get into it. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT I -**_ _ **CHAPTER II -**_ _ **PART I**_

 _ **...**_

 **Septian Calendar 1204  
** **5/22 - Saturday**

With the ringing of the school bell, another day of classes had come to an end.

"Good work today, class." Sara complimented her students. "Tomorrow's a free day, so do take it easy. You've earned it." She told them. "Just remember, next Wednesday is your second practical exam!" She reminded them, exponentially more excited about it than they were.

"I was wondering when she'd bring that up..." Alisa said with a sigh.

"Umm...will you be announcing the details of our next field study trip on Wednesday also?" Emma queried.

"Of course! You'll be leaving next weekend." The care-free instructor confirmed. "I'm sure you can hardly wait."

At this, Machias sighed and Jusis scoffed, in almost perfect sync.

"I, for one, very much look forward to it." Laura put forth.

"Oh, and one more thing..." The pink-haired twenty something started, getting all her student's full attention. "Your midterms are scheduled for the middle of next month. So just...file that away, if you would." She finished casually.

"M-Midterms...?" Elliot repeated the word as if confirming an enemy was ready to attack, his concern quite audible.

"Sounds irritating." Fie opined.

"So we finally get to put all the knowledge we've gained throughout the past two months to the test..." Gaius commented.

"Yes, and that's a good thing. You need to be thinking about your academic studies. School can't just be military strategy, you know!" Sara lectured them. "Because if it is, I'm going to get an earful from Vice Principal Heinrich." The small frown now present on her face made it clear such a thing was even more unpleasant than it sounded. "Again." She added after a brief moment, a bit piteously.

Unable to help it, the entirety of Class VII proceeded to sweatdrop at this.

"Is that all you care about...?" Rean questioned.

"Sounds about right." Fie remarked, clearly having seen that coming.

"U-Umm, can we ask you if there's anything we don't understand?" The blonde bow-woman inquired.

"Not if you care about the answer being right. I'm a combat instructor! Book smarts like that are well beyond me." The said combat instructor bluntly apprised, her frown gone at this point.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Jusis questioned rhetorically.

"Anyway, that's all for homeroom! Machias, if you'd please?" Ignoring the blonde boy's comment, the jovial woman signalled the class vice-president that it was time to end homeroom.

"Yes, Instructor." Machias replied dutifully, before standing. "All rise...Bow."

...

As half the class, instructor included, filed out of the room, Rean, Gaius, Machias, Elliot and Laura lagged behind.

While Laura still sat at her desk, just as Rean sat at his, Elliot, Gaius and Machias all stood to the right of the latter, engaging him in a brief conversation.

"Well, I'll see you later, Rean."

"Later."

"I'll be going as well."

"You guys heading for your clubs?" Rean queried.

"Yeah." Elliot confirmed. "Did you guys want to have dinner together later?" The orange-haired boy asked his friends.

"We've been eating in the cafeteria an awful lot lately, so maybe we could go to the cafe in Trista today for a change of scenery?" The soft spoken nord suggested.

"That's fine with me." The bespectacled teen said with a nod.

"Sounds good. Meet there in two hours?" The black-haired seventeen year old posed to them.

"Sure!" The timid violinist chirped with a smile.

"See you then." The dark-brown haired teenager added.

The dark green-haired boy nodded in affirmation to this, before the three went on their way, leaving the classroom as well.

As the three left, Rean took notice of Laura, who had stood from her seat and had come up to his desk. "Oh, hey Laura. What's up?"

"Are you planning on going into the old schoolhouse again tomorrow?" Laura inquired.

"Yeah, the principal did ask me to keep an eye on it, so I thought I'd make time for a quick look inside." The humble swordsman answered. "Why? Planning on coming with?"

The blue-haired girl nodded affirmatively at that. "Please let me know when you're planning to begin the expedition, if you would. Klein appointed me as Monica's swimming coach, but I'm sure she'd understand if I had to miss one session. The old schoolhouse takes priority, after all."

"Monica?" Rean repeated the name, a little confused. "Oh, right, the girl you said wanted to swim fifty arge in one go." He recalled then, putting a face to the name, the bubblegum-pink haired girl appearing in his mind's eye.

"That's her." The well-spoken swordswoman confirmed.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll let you know." Rean told her, referring to her request regarding the old schoolhouse.

"Excellent. I'll see you tomorrow then." With that said, she turned away and moved toward the door as well.

Last one in the room, Rean got out of his desk, stretched a bit, and moved to exit as well. "Time to go find Fie."

...

It didn't take the raven-haired teen long to find her, having descended the steps down to the first floor and exited the building through one of the two doors that led to the courtyard. That was where he spotted her, napping on the middle bench,

"That doesn't even look particularly comfortable..." Rean remarked. "Oh, who am I kidding. I've see her sleep in weirder places than this." He said with a shake of his head, recalling the different spots he had found her in. 'My room, the pantry, the bench at the funicular station, the waiting area at the Phoenix Wings, in the pews at the church, the list just goes on. No matter how many times I told her it wasn't a good idea to sleep in such weird places, espcially outside, she never listened.' Though he continued to shake his head, the dark-haired boy couldn't help but smile anyway, too fond of the girl to ever be annoyed with her for long, if at all.

Walking over to her, he stopped for a moment, considering not waking her and letting her nap a little while. However, that wouldn't do, not with the dinner plans he had for later. "Fie." He softly said her name, as he gently moved some strands of her hair out of her face.

That was enough to stir her, as her eyes fluttered open, yawning as she sat up. "Hey Rean." She greeted him.

"Fie, what have I told you about sleeping in odd places?"

"To not do it." She answered simply.

"And yet you still persist." He pointed out.

"Shut up." She replied jokingly. "It's nap time. So either come nap with me-" She tried to exhort him, as she lied back on the bench. "-or go away."

"Come on Fie." Her childhood friend prodded with a chuckle.

"Alright, alright." The stoic fifteen year old capitulated, getting back up. "Let's get training."

* * *

The sun was setting in the distance by the time Rean arrived at the school gate, the horizon obscuring almost half of it. His training session with Fie had just wrapped up, and he had invited her to dinner with the guys. Yet, she was noticeably absent as the humble swordsman came to a stop at said gate. 'I'll wait here for her.' He decided.

The silver-haired girl had said she needed to check in with Beatrix first before they left, so the raven-haired boy opted to wait for her, rather than go on ahead.

"Yo, Rean-Boy." Came the voice of a certain second year.

Turning around to face the source of the voice, the younger teen saw Crow walking up to him. "Oh, hey Crow." Rean greeted his friend, as said friend came to a stop in front of him.

"You're here late." The older boy observed. "What, Towa got ya doing more stuff for the Student Council?" He presumed.

"Nah." Rean replied with a shake of his head. "Just a training session."

"Again?" Crow queried. "You sure are a work-a-holic, huh? If it's not schoolwork or studying, it's oddjobs for the Student Council, and if that's not it, you while away the time training. Don't you ever just kick back and relax?"

"I like to keep busy." The black-haired boy responded with a shrug of his shoulders, clearly not thinking of it as a big deal.

"That's just fine and dandy and all, but take some time out of your day for yourself, man. You've been here nearly two months, and all I've ever seen you do is keep busy. Have some fun, live a little. Join a club, take up a hobby, kiss a girl, doesn't matter what, just do something fun!" The white-haired teen insisted.

"I have fun." Rean calmly contended.

"Oh really?" Crow questioned skeptically. "Name one fun thing you've done in the past week." He challenged his younger friend.

"Easy. I hung out with Machias, Elliot and Gaius yesterday." The younger of the two put forth.

"Uh-huh. And what did you guys do, exactly?" The older of the two inquired.

"Chatted, had some coffee and tea, listened to a bit of music, you know, just hung out." The grey-tinted fuchsia eyed seventeen year old explained.

"You call that fun?" Crow questioned with a quirked brow. "That's nothing. Parties, dates, a night out on the town, concerts, panty raids, a day at the races, now those are fun." He gave a mirthful grin as he listed his examples.

"P-Panty raids?! Just what the hell do you do in your spare time!?" Rean squawked incredulously.

"Oh don't go getting your panties in a twist." The red-eyed boy waved his friend's reaction off. "If it makes you feel better, a girl, if you can call her that, helped me plan the thing. So it's not as bad as it sounds."

"How does that change anything or make it better in the slightest!?" Rean demanded exasperatedly in response to his older friend's absurd response.

Before the two could continue their back and forth, a new, third voice, proceeded to interject. "What was that remark about me not being a girl?"

"Oh crap. It's the she-devil." Crow bemoaned said female's sudden presence aloud.

"What?" Was Rean's response, having no clue what the other teen was talking about, until he realized someone was approaching them, rolling a purple-colored contraption along with them as they did.

'A...bicycle? No, it looks like it's powered by orbal energy..." Rean thought to himself, as the young woman strolled up, before stopping beside them.

"You're Rean, I take it?" The Leather-Clad girl said then, clearly addressing him. "I've been hearing all about you from Towa and George. Even this louse has been talking about you." The magenta-haired girl gestured to the white-haired teen with a tilt of her head.

"Hey!" Crow objected, only to be blatantly ignored.

"Sounds like you got into a bunch of trouble on your field study last month, and still managed to come out looking good. Not bad." She complimented the younger teen with a wink.

"I'm...surprised you know my name, actually. I didn't think I'd been doing anything worthy of such attention." Rean admitted, thoughts of Crow's extreme inpropriatey pushed to the back of his mind for the moment. "Guess I should still officially introduce myself, though. I'm Rean Schwarzer. It's nice to meet you." He gave his introduction with a pleasant smile.

"Same." The Leather-Clad girl returned his pleasant smile with one of her own. "I'm Angelica. Angelica Rogner. Glad I could finally make your acquaintance."

"Rogner?" Rean repeated with a bit of shock. "As in...Marquis Rogner? Head of one of the Four Great Houses!?"

"Haha. Same reaction every time, I swear!" Angelica exclaimed with a chuckle. "Yeah, I'm his unworthy daughter. But he doesn't really want anything to do with me since I go around dressed like this."

"I think it's less how you dress and more how you behave." Crow interjected. "Where are you going on that bike at this hour, anyway?"

"Oh, George finally finished tuning the orbal engine." Angelica informed him. "So I figured I'd give it a run to the capital and back to see how it holds up."

"Sure must be nice not to have a care in the world." Crow replied with a sigh and a shake of his head.

"Haha. Look who's talking." She shot back.

Angelica climbed onto the metal contraption then, giving one of the handles a few good turns, before what sounded like an engine came to life. "Hehe. Well, catch you later."

Before leaving though, she looked back at Rean and spoke to him once more. "I'm thinking of putting in a request for you sometime. If I do, I'd sure appreciate a swift response." With that, without giving him a chance to respond, she proceeded to drive off, leaving school grounds entirely.

Rean just stared after her, slackjawed, completely floored.

"Heh. I take it you liked the orbal bike?" Crow asked needlessly.

"I want one. I want one right now." Rean blurted out without thinking.

"Eh, can't say I blame you. It is pretty damn cool." Crow opined. "It's a little something George put together a while back."

"I'm guessing that means you can't buy it in any shops, huh?" Rean questioned, disappointment already present in his tone as he turned around, the look on his face giving away that he already knew the answer to his question.

"Yep." Crow confirmed for him anyway. "The Roer Institute of Technology started putting that one together as part of a test, then George finished it off." He explained. "Gelica put up the money for the parts herself. Oh, but Towa and I helped out too." He elucidated.

"Sounds like it was a pretty challenging project." The humble swordsman said then. "So I take it that means you're pretty good friends with Towa and George, then? Angelica too?"

"Well, we're all from different classes, but we've kind of stuck together for a while now. So, the short answer is, yeah."

That's when a thought struck Rean. "Wait a sec, what you said a minute ago, Angelica reacted like it was her you were talking about."

"Yeah, and?"

"That means..." Then it clicked. "She was the one to help you orchestrate a panty raid!?" It was clear that the teen was shocked by this, having not expected it from a noble of such stature, or just from a girl like her period, for that matter. 'Just a stiff reminder that first impressions aren't always the best things to go off of, I guess.'

"Yeah, that was her." Crow affirmed casually. "Snagged even more panties than I did, in fact." He told his fellow teen. "I'll never give her the satisfaction of admitting it to her face, though." He added as an afterthought, sounding almost resentful when he did.

Words failed Rean in that moment, unable to properly articulate his feelings on the matter. The fact that he sweatdropped did give some indication of how he felt though. 'He certainly sounds bitter about that.'

"What's this about panties?" Fie inquired nonchalantly from her spot behind Crow, having just caught a few words of the butt-end of their conversation upon her arrival at the school gate.

"Whoa, you sure know how to sneak up on a guy, don't ya?" Crow said as he turned around, having nearly jumped at the sound of the younger girl's voice.

In an hasty attempt to clear the air about the panty thing, Rean immediately jumped into trying to explain the situation, not needing another moment where he looked none too upstanding in front of his best friend. "W-Well, about that, it's-" Before he could actually explain things, his senior cut in.

"Oh, Rean-Boy here was just wondering what kind of panties you wear is all." Crow lied smoothly, snapping to it almost instantly once the opportunity was presented.

Rean was so taken off guard, so flabbergasted, he neglected to form a verbal response to such a claim, his only reaction being to stare at his white-haired friend like he'd just seen him murder a puppy.

Said look only served to cause Crow to burst into laughter.

Fie's reaction to this statement of Crow's would have knocked Rean for a loop, if he'd been focusing on her rather than the man who was, in the humble swordsman's opinion, trying to get him killed. "Oh really?" She queried with a quirked brow, sounding none too upset about it, which, for most girls, is rather out of the ordinary everything considered.

"Wha-What!?" Rean finally found his voice, as red began to dust his cheeks. "That is so not true!"

"You're right. I made it up." Crow confessed rather easily, after having finished his bout of laughter.

Rean nearly faceplanted at the ridiculousness of this.

"Yeah, I already knew that." Fie informed the two then, sounding bored for the first time since school had let out.

"Girl, the two of us need to have a talk. You need to learn how to tease someone. Because you just missed a real golden opportunity. You could have done far more than just gone along with it." Crow gave his two cents then, having picked up on the fact that she didn't take him seriously from the get-go.

"Dude, that was so not cool!" The raven-haired boy exclaimed then, clearly none too happy with the older boy.

"Yeah, but it sure was funny, huh?" The red-eyed teen replied cheekily.

"N-No! No it was not!" His younger friend denied vehemently.

"Alright, alright. I can see you're not okay with that kind of ribbing." Crow conceded to some regard. "I won't do anything like that again." He assured. "Probably." He affixed that to his previous statement, still grinning mirthfully.

Rather than let himself continue to get worked up by the eighteen year old, Rean just let it go with a sigh. "Whatever."

"We should get going. Don't wanna be late for dinner." Fie said then, reminding Rean of their plan to eat at Kirsche's.

"Dinner plans? Don't let me hold you up then." Crow told them, stepping back as he did. "I need to be heading back to the dorms anyway. So, later."

As he turned and walked away, leaving school grounds, Rean proceeded to sigh once more.

"You shouldn't let him get to you so much." Fie advised her childhood friend. "He's just trying to get a rise out of you, after all."

"I know that." Rean admitted outright. "And I don't really know why he gets to me so much, but he does. I mean, I know he doesn't mean anything by it, he's just joking, but somehow, that just makes it worse." He continued with a shake of his head. "I can deal with disrespect, derision and even outright contempt. Most nobles had nothing but those things for me while I was growing up in Ymir." He confided, though Fie already knew this. "But him, I don't know how to handle. Not yet, at least."

Fie was silent for a few moments before responding with, "Take it from someone who knows you, Rean. You'll figure it out soon enough."

"Yeah." Rean agreed with a nod of his head. "I guess."

* * *

Gaius, Machias and Elliot occupied the table closest to the stairs leading to the second floor of Kirsche's Cafe and Inn, where the actual rooms the owner, Fred, rented out were located. They had arrived a few minutes ago and had just placed their orders, now they were just waiting on their swordsman friend.

Not that they had to wait long, as Rean proceeded to enter the establishment in that moment, Fie in tow. The two teens, or rather the former of the two, were welcomed warmly into the cafe by Fred himself, the man's cheery mood somehow amplifying. The three teens were able to pick up something about the cafe and inn owner thanking the raven-haired teen for something or other, though they weren't able to hear exactly what he was grateful for.

After Fred spoke with Rean for a few moments, he returned to his spot behind the counter, and began working on the other three teens orders.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Rean apologized with a bit of a sheepish smile, as he and Fie approached the table.

"Don't worry about it." Machias waved his friend off. "You could hardly be considered late. Especially for a casual dinner like this."

"We've only been here a few minutes ourselves." Gaius mentioned.

"Will you be joining us Fie?" Elliot inquired.

"Yep. Rean invited me." Fie answered, straight and to the point.

"Pull up a chair." The bespectacled teen gestured to one of the few empty seats around the establishment, the place rather full at the moment for the dinner rush and whatnot.

"It's nice to have you join us." The softspoken nord said pleasantly to Fie, to which she responded with a simple nod of the head as she got herself a chair.

"We saved you a seat." The orange-haired teen let his swordsman friend know, indicating it with a glance.

"Thanks."

...

After pleasantries were exchanged, and Dolly, the waitress, had come by and taken the two newest customer's orders, the group fell into an easy flow of conversation. Though not every one of them participated equally...

They started by discussing their clubs, going one by one and talking about their clubmates and such, while Fie noticeably remained silent on the matter. Soon enough, it got back around to a certain swordsman.

"What about you Rean? Have you finally joined a club yet?" Elliot inquired.

"No, I haven't." Rean answered simply. "I'm usually too busy with helping out the student council, and besides that, honestly, I just don't have any real interest in any of them." He elucidated as he shrugged his shoulders. "I like things like horseback riding, music and cooking just fine, I simply don't have a passion for them like others do though. As for the other clubs, well, I can't say I know a whole lot about painting or chess or photography for that matter, so they're out. And that doesn't leave me a whole lot of clubs to choose from..." He explicated.

"Perhaps you don't need to join a club." Gaius put forth then. "While the task load seems heavy, assisting the student council seems to give you the freedom to move about the campus, even the town, as you wish." He pointed out. "That doesn't seem like a bad thing, considering it allows you to get to know the student body as a whole, and the citizens of Trista as well. Getting to know everyone, even becoming friendly with them all, that doesn't seem so bad, does it? I mean, we will be living here for the next two years. It couldn't hurt to be on friendly terms."

"He's got a point." Machias agreed with the spearman. "It would make your life easier in the long run, for sure."

"Everyone seems to be fond of the student council around here. Forgoing joining a club to help them out will probably win you some points. At the very least, it's good practice for our field studies, right?" The timid violinist suggested helpfully.

"That's what Instructor Sara said too..." Rean stated with a sigh. ''I'm pretty sure it's a safe bet that Towa's the reason for the student council's seemingly glowing reputation around here. How does she keep everyone happy? Especially with 'certain' instructors pushing their workloads off onto her?' He wondered to himself then.

Shaking his head clear of these thoughts, Rean continued, "Whatever, you guys are right. No need to worry about it. I'll just go with the flow."

"How about you Fie? You're in the gardening club, aren't you?" Elliot queried the silver-haired girl, attempting to draw her into the conversation.

"Yeah." Fie confirmed simply enough.

"Is that so? What kind of flowers are you growing?" The green-haired boy asked.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to know myself Fie." Rean said, clearly curious.

"Nothing." She disclosed bluntly.

The boys at the table, with the exception of Gaius, proceeded to sweatdrop at this.

"Nothing?" The orange-haired teen questioned, sounding unsure.

Fie simply nodded her head at that.

"Like nothing at all?" The spectacles wearing teen further questioned for clarification.

"That's what I said." The former jaeger replied curtly.

"Fie, you're a part of the gardening club. Why aren't you growing anything?" Rean posed to her, getting right to the point.

"Don't feel like it." She confessed with a half shrug, looking as bored as ever.

With a sigh, Rean began trying to convince his childhood friend to see reason, in that if you're a part of a club, you should participate. She wasn't so easily convinced however, and they basically went around in verbal circles for several moments. And the other three teens at the table just sat back and watched as they did.

It was definitely amusing to watch them, but they also didn't quite feel like getting involved. As, frankly, it seemed like a futile endeavor, seeing as the silver-haired girl didn't strike them as the type of person do something she didn't want to do, no matter how much convincing was involved.

It didn't take too long for Rean to give up, as he knew all too well that if Fie didn't want to do something, she wasn't going to do it. He had just been hoping that she would be more willing to participate in her club activities is all. "Well, if you do end up growing something, I'd love to see it." With that remark, he let it go. He had no intention of pushing her, after all.

As the raven-haired boy turned his eyes to the others, he failed to notice the sudden look of contemplation on the fifteen year old's face, that had come into being at his words. It quickly faded though, as the flow of conversation continued.

"Speaking of extracurricular activities, what have you guys been up to lately?" Machias questioned the pair of childhood friends then.

"What do you mean?" Rean requested clarification.

"I mean, you two are always the last to return to the dorms. Consistently, every day. What have you guys been doing?" The bespectacled teen inquired. "If you don't mind me asking, that is." He affixed to his inquiry.

"That's a good question. I've been wondering about it myself. Has the Instructor had you guys running more errands?" The timid violinist queried.

"We could always assist you guys, if that's the case. No need to do it all yourselves." The long brown-haired teen offered.

"Training." Fie interjected then.

"Training?" The three curious teens repeated with a questioning tone in tandem.

"We've been training." Fie told them simply, not offering much in the way of an explanation.

Rean proceeded to elaborate. He did, however, keep the more personal details out of it.

...

"Ah, gotcha." Elliot said with a nod of his head.

"You could've just said that in the first place." Machias commented with shake of his head.

"I see. How's the training been going then?" Gaius inquired.

"Heh, to be honest, day in and day out, Fie here keeps kicking my ass." Rean informed them humorously with a chuckle.

The other three boys laughed at this.

"Ignore him. He's selling himself short. He's doing well." Fie stated stone-faced, contradicting Rean.

The rest of the table was prevented from responding, as that was when Dolly arrived with their orders. As such, everyone's attention shifted to their food. Dinner was on. The topic of training was forgotten, as they all began to eat. The conversation would resume, with the boys prodding Fie every once in a while to get involved at least momentarily, as they enjoyed themselves throughout the little get together.

* * *

 **5/23 - Sunday**

With the exception of investigating the old schoolhouse further, which would clearly be a continuous thing in the months to come, only two tasks were on Rean's agenda for the day.

First, he stopped by Keynes' bookstore, where the owner informed him that he had lost the order sheet he had received from the academy, the staff having put an order in with him, which in turn meant he had no real idea which piece of literature to deliver to whom. Seeing as the raven-haired teen was a student at Thors, the brown-haired man thought he might be able to deduce who ordered what, seeing as he was far more familiar with the instructors. Seeing the logic behind this, and just simply wanting to assist the man, Rean gladly took the books off his hands, five of them in total. From there, he went from one place to the next, hunting down which teacher he figured ordered which book. First he delivered a book on the War of the Lions to Instructor Thomas, then he brought Vice Principal Heinrich his book on extremely advanced and intricate economics, followed by giving a compendium on all the works of modern art to Instructor Mary. After which, he put the latest issue of a science magazine in Instructor Makarov's hands, before getting the last of the literature to it's destination, a tourist magazine on the Empire's hottest spots, which he gave to none other than his homeroom teacher, Sara. He would then return to Keynes, but not before questioning the pink-haired woman on why she was so drunk so early in the morning.

After Keynes vocalized his gratitude to the seventeen year old, he moved onto the next task, meeting at the lower-class dorm to speak with Klein, the one who made the second request in the first place. There had apparently been some kind of family emergency regarding his mother and he needed to get home to check on her. As a result, he needed someone to fill in for him as a tutor for a child, named Emile. Simple and straightforward, Rean agreed and went straight there. And after a productive two hour study session, the job was done. The boy's mother, Melissa, thanked him and even gave him a fair amount of Mira for his trouble, in spite of the fact that he had tried to refuse the compensation at first. Seeing as the woman might be insulted by continuous refusal, especially considering her confusion the first time he rejected the money, he ended up just taking the bills with a smile and sincere words of thanks.

Just like that, excluding the old schoolhouse of course, Rean was done with his student council work for the day. And seeing as the teen had gotten an early start, the time barely past seven in the morning when he left the dorm, it wasn't even noon yet.

Since that was the case, a break seemed to be in order.

...

Stopping in at Kirsche's, Rean figured he'd buy himself something to drink. The moment he entered the establishment though, he noticed the presence of a certain second year, sitting all by his lonesome at a table.

Putting the act of purchasing a beverage off for the moment, he approached said second year. "Enjoying a little tea in peace and quiet today, Crow?" Rean inquired.

"Nah, I'm just waiting around for an appointment." Crow answered, pushing his half-empty cup to the side as his eyes shifted focus onto the younger boy. "But man, they're sure taking their sweet time. Way to keep a guy hangin'!"

Rean couldn't help but chuckle at his fellow teen's complaint. "I get the feeling you've done the same thing at least a couple times."

"Oh ho, feelin' cheeky today, are we?" Crow queried with the beginnings of a grin. "It's about time. You need to learn to go with the flow and let loose man. Don't be all stiff and reserved, there are plenty of other people to do that for ya." He advised the humble swordsman.

Said swordsman was noticeably shocked by the slacker's words. 'Is he just messing with me, or did he really notice...?' The raven-haired teen wondered to himself, thinking for a moment that it might not just be Fie who could see through him.

"Oh, by the way, I'm sorry about yesterday." The bandanna wearing eighteen year old suddenly apologized, his grin fading, surprising his fellow teen and getting him to momentarily push his previous thoughts aside.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Rean questioned.

"I really wasn't trying to get you into hot water or anything. If she had believed me, I'd have immediately explained that I was bullshitting." Crow assured him.

Now Rean knew what he was talking about, that little incident at the gate yesterday evening.

"I wouldn't really do something like that to you. We're friends, after all. And that's not what friends do. I was just trying to mess with ya is all." The white-haired teen explained himself.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that." Rean replied while letting out a small laugh. "You really got me flustered, that's for sure. But it's fine, no need to worry about it. I know you didn't mean anything by it." He reassured his senior, a small smile on his face, having appreciated the apology.

"Ya know, you should express yourself more. It would suit a guy like you." Crow abruptly exhorted his junior. "It'd probably help you with that girl you're so head over heels for too. Fie's her name, right?" He requested confirmation of this fact, passing over the implications of what he had just said completely.

Like someone with the experience of having done so their entire life, Crow, once again, with just a few words, had Rean blushing as he spluttered. "Wha-what!? Head over heels!? I don't-I mean, I-What does that even have to do with-"

Rather than letting him continue to go on, the older teen proceeded to interrupt the easy to embarrass seventeen year old. "Oh and I'll admit, I can't really deny that you're right about the being late thing."

This seemingly off-topic remark confused the black-haired teen for a moment, just until he realized that the slacker was referring to his previous comment about him having left people hanging. Akin to rapid fire, the older boy had shocked him, embarrassed him and confused him, in the span of only about a minute or two to boot.

Groaning at the realization that he had just been played for a bit of a fool, again, the teen couldn't help but facepalm, while simultaneously sweatdropping. "You...you're too much." He remarked with a shake of his head, before inhaling deeply, and slowly exhaling to calm himself. "So, am I to assume you mess with all the first years like this, or is it just my buttons that you like to push?" Rean inquired dryly.

"It's just you." Crow bluntly disclosed, a wry grin stretched across his face.

The humble swordsman couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh at this. "Of course it is."

"Lighten up Rean-Boy." Crow told his junior with a chuckle. "I'm just tryin' to help you out. It won't do anyone any good for you to go around keeping everything bottled up all the time. That's true for anyone, doubly so for you. It's just not healthy." The slacker counseled his younger friend.

At that, Rean was momentarily rendered speechless. 'How in the hell...!? I was right, he really can read me like Fie can!'

He wasn't given more than a few, short moments to contemplate this fact, as Crow snapped him from his thoughts on the matter. "Why not pull up a chair and sit a spell? Not like you got anything better to do, right?"

The proposition did appeal to the younger teen, as he had already intended to get something to drink, and this would provide him the chance to try and figure this guy out, even if only a little. 'I mean, it shocked me that Fie could see through me, however with the life she's led, I honestly can't say I'm surprised by it. I should have expected it, in fact. But Crow? How could he possibly know?'

So, he accepted. "Yeah, sure. Just let me go order something first."

"Cool. And hey, once they get here, maybe you can even join in."

* * *

They, as it had turned out, were the neighborhood kids Kay and Rudy. And the appointment was actually a game of blade they had scheduled. Innocent enough, right? Rean had thought so, that is until it became clear that he had them betting with each hand. He was gambling, with kids! Rean had been just a little aghast at this fact. It was, admittedly, with candy, but still. And yet, Rean found himself engaging in it as well, after much prodding from Crow, of course. After all, it was just candy, not that big a deal.

As the dark-haired swordsman quickly found out, it was far less shady and concerning than he had originally thought, for the simple fact that Crow clearly threw every other round, at least. Kay and Rudy were oblivious to this however, allowing them to revel in their victory over the teen. Rean followed his senior's lead and continuously allowed the younger boys to clean house, while at least feigning a fight of course. Didn't want them figuring it out.

During the course of the dozen or so rounds they ended up playing, Crow mentioned how he'd been trying to get anyone who would listen to play Blade, clearly passionate about the card game, having gone so far as to give a deck to Micht to 'spread the love' as he called it. Rean didn't have the heart to tell his friend that the old man had just turned right around and given it to him.

Shortly after, the final round came to an end, and every piece of candy laid out on the table belonged to the two young boys, leaving the two teens broke and all out of 'chips' to bet. The teens congratulated them on their victory, and the two kids went on their way, all smiles as they did. Needless to say, Rean felt good about that, and his opinion of Crow's character improved.

He definitely considered the second year a friend, that didn't quite mean he thought all that highly of his proclivities though. In the time he'd known him, he's become aware of the fact that he regularly cuts class, just slacks off in general, attempts to butt into people's personal relationships, tricks people out of their mira; even if was just the one time, and, more recently, found out he liked to conduct panty raids. None of these were heinous, not by any means. Still, they certainly weren't the most...upstanding activities to be associated with.

"Whatever." Rean said with a shake of his head, as he exited Kirsche's. 'I'll worry about Crow being a bad influence another time.'

Taking a moment, the dark-haired teenager intended to figure out what to do next, seeing as until it was time to go down into the old schoolhouse, he was without anything to occupy his time.

...

That is until he noticed a certain silver-haired girl to his left, standing in front of Jane's Flower Shop. She was clearly looking for something, judging by her wandering gaze, scanning over the entirety of the contents of the store.

Curious, he walked away from Kirsche's and approached his childhood friend.

"What's up, Fie?" Rean questioned the younger girl.

The fifteen year old didn't bother to look back at her older friend, having been aware of his presence before he was aware of hers. "I changed my mind, decided I would grow some flowers for the club. So, I'm here to get the tools I'll need." She answered him.

"That's great. It's good that you're taking an active part in your club." Rean expressed his contentment that she was actually participating in something for once. After all, as the teen had found out through personal experience, getting Fie Claussell to participate in anything, at all, was a feat in it of itself. "Want some help?"

At that question, the former jaeger did turn to face him, yellow-green orbs meeting his. "Anyway I can just ditch this whole thing and let you take care of it?" She inquired, sounding ever so slightly hopeful for an affirmative answer, even in spite what she knew he'd say.

"Not a chance." Rean shot her down without a second's hesitation.

"Aww." Fie verbalized her disappointment at that, before giving a sigh of acceptance. "I figured as much."

"Given how many types of plants there are, you've got no shortage of options. Any idea what you want to raise?" The dark-haired boy asked, getting right back into the subject, having expected something like that from her.

"Yep." She replied, as she pulled out a small sack of seeds from her skirt pocket and proceeded to show them to him.

"Oh, what're these?" He queried, his curiosity piqued.

"Flower seeds. Dunno what they're called though." Fie responded with a half shrug. "Someone gave'em to me when I was in the corps. Had'em ever since."

"Gotcha." Rean said with a nod. "You helped Mom with the flowers, but you never did plant any yourself, did you?" He questioned then.

She simply shook her head at that.

"Do you know how to raise them?" He questioned further.

"Yeah. They told me how." She confirmed with a nod. "Said I'd have to raise'em with love though..." She trailed off, averting her eyes as she did.

"And what's wrong with that?" Rean inquired, brows furrowing in confusion.

"I don't know a whole lot about love. Not really." Fie confessed, eyes downcast, suddenly sounding rather subdued.

"Now that's not true." Her childhood friend immediately disputed such a claim.

The fifteen year old brought her gaze back up at that, resting her eyes on the older teen once more, as she gave him an inquisitive look.

"What you did for Elise and me..." He began, the image of her, still a little girl; yet standing strong, acting as their protector flashing before his mind's eye."...you protected us with everything you had, no matter how much pain you were forced to endure because of it. Even in spite of the agony you were in, and the fact that you knew you would die if you did, you still tried to defend us. You were willing to lay down your life for us. If that's not love, then I don't know what is." Rean professed with the utmost sincerity, holding her gaze all the while, his honest eyes conveying the fact that he spoke from the heart.

Fie's eyes widened considerably at this, words failing her temporarily, unsure of how to respond in that moment. She was just so taken aback by what he had said.

"In fact, I think you might know more about love than anyone I've ever met." Rean stated with a smile, proceeding to pat her head as he did.

Once he was done doing so, Fie managed to overcome her speechlessness, finally getting her mouth to work. "You are so damn sappy." And proceeded to insult him first thing once she had. Then again, considering she hugged him right after, maybe it wasn't an insult after all.

...

The childhood friends were currently preparing one of the flower beds at the garden by the gym for the seeds they desired to plant. With the pond near by and optimal levels of sunlight at the spot they were at, they would grow just fine.

As Rean helped Fie begin planting her flower seeds, a comfortable silence fell between them. They planted the seeds one by one, making sure that they had just enough space between each individual soon to be-flowers, and that they all were buried the same depth in the empty flower bed.

Once they were all planted, the two covered them back up and patted down the soil to an even level, to the point where you couldn't tell the dirt had been disturbed at all. With that done, they began the seeds first watering. As they did, Fie stepped back for a moment, allowing her friend to do what needed to be done unimpeded, simply observing him.

Rean was still crouched down, making sure they had covered all their bases while watering the seeds, and therefor failed to notice how the younger girl watched him. Her eyes were glued to his back, more specifically his right shoulder. She was, of course, thinking about the bullet he had taken for her. 'I messed up. That's why he got hurt. I wasn't alert enough, didn't have my guard all the way up. That was stupid. And as a result, he ended up having to save me.' In her book, there was no interpretation of this event, this was fact. Her jaeger training and lifestyle taught her to always be aware, and the one instance where she wasn't as aware as she could have been, the only family she had left suffered for it.

She wouldn't make that mistake again.

The ex-jaeger had gone to the swordsman with the offer of training, so that he could become stronger and protect those he cared about, in return, he would disclose exactly what burdens he had come to carry in her absence. Still, there were other benefits to this arrangement besides this trade. First, it would allow her to spend time with the boy she considered family, the one who stirred her emotions when no one else seemed capable of affecting her in such a way. This was always a good thing. And second, it would afford her the opportunity to sharpen his senses and hone his skills, to the point where he would be as skilled and battle ready as she ever was, perhaps even more so.

Such a thing would help further insure his well-being into the future. And that, more than anything, was what she desired.

Fie's train of thought, travelling along this line of thinking, brought a memory to the forefront of her mind. One none too pleasant. 'That wasn't the first time Rean had to save me.' She thought to herself, as her eyes wandered to his left shoulder, where that only faintly visible scar was located. She had seen it in the nurses office three weeks ago, it was the first time she had seen it in years. Even still, she remembered vividly how he had attained it. And with disturbing detail, the memory played out before her mind's eye...

* * *

 _It was the dumbest thing you could think of. They had gone too far along the path, too deep into the mountains. They had wanted to play a little and had just happened to go past the point where they were used to horsing around at, taking a wrong turn in doing so, having thought they were going to one specific spot and had just happened to be wrong. Because of something so insignificant and arbitrary, they found themselves surrounded by a small pack of hungry wolves._

 _They were, understandably, taken off guard, Rean and Elise even more so than Fie. She'd been living in Ymir for roughly three months, while they had been there for years. The siblings had played along almost all the paths they could access from Ymir, and not once had they ever run into a hostile creature. Oh they were aware of their existence, they just tended to lurk in the corners of the mountains, only venturing out onto the main paths during the night. Their father's frequent hunting trips also attributed to the fact that the paths were always safe and monster free._

 _For the quarter of a year she had been present, Fie hadn't come face to face with any creature that wasn't docile in nature either. So she hadn't expected such an occurrence anymore than the brother and sister pair, even though, as she would later tell herself in her life, she should've known better._

 _"Run Elise! Go get Dad!" Rean suddenly shouted at his younger sister, the eight year old unable to keep the fear and panic out of his voice._

 _"O-Okay!" The six year old girl replied, before taking off and running back along the path they had traversed, unimpeded by the wolves, who were focusing in on the other two children._

 _They had just happened to be caught in the wild animals' encirclement, while Elise had not, allowing her to escape the dangerous situation. Which Rean couldn't be more thankful for, as that meant she would be safe. There was also the fact that, without help, they didn't have much of a chance of survival, not against nearly half a dozen frenzied wolves. They would just have to survive until someone came to help._

 _That was far easier in theory than actuality, however. With four starving wolves spread out in front of them, covering their left, right and front flanks, and a wall of solid snow-covered rock at their backs, they were completely trapped. With a few rocks within reach and the odd large stick or two as their only possible choice of weapons, well, needless to say, their chances of coming out of this alive weren't good._

 _The two children backed up, pace by pace, closing the distance between each other, as well as the distance between them and the cliff-face behind them, further forced into a tight spot as the wolves approached, closing the half-circle in on them. The beasts had entrapped them with nowhere to run, even still, their instincts were screaming at them, 'get away!'. They provided no ideas as to how they could do such a thing though._

 _As the rabid animals drew ever closer, the tension, as well as the air of fear and hopelessness around the children, grew ever thicker. The stakes were high as the stakes were their lives, and one wrong move could cost them. They had to buy time until help arrived, or somehow manage to escape. Both of these scenarios though, seemed very unlikely._

 _Little Rean understood how desperate and hopeless their situation was to some degree, but couldn't fully comprehend it, which was why all that ran through his mind was how scared he was, the terror overriding most of his brain functions. All he could process was his panic and fear, fear for himself, fear for his friend, fear in general. His heart pounding away in his trepidation, his mind struggled to ascertain the best course of action in that moment._

 _Little Fie was different. She felt the same fear, the same panic, however, she had been exposed to the hell of war and the brutality of battle her whole life. Her time with Zephyr, as well as her first hand experience with death and destruction, afforded her the ability to think clearly in such dangerous situations, allowing her to reason in spite of her state of fright._

 _Eyes shifting all about, she weighed their options. The cliff-face was too tall for them to possibly climb, they lacked the proper upper body strength. For them, it was insurmountable, and to even attempt to scale it would be suicide, seeing as the wolves would rip them to shreds after they inevitably failed and fell back to the ground. The few rocks and sticks in their reach were hardly enough to keep the carnivores at bay for more than a few moments, so fighting them off was way out of the question. Which left them with only one, real path of recourse..._

 _"Rean, we have to run." Fie let the older boy know, keeping her voice from quivering from expert practice._

 _"But they have us trapped! We won't make it!" He responded, voice shaking with fright, unlike his friend._

 _"It's our only choice." She insisted, still fighting back her primal fear. "They're just gonna keep squeezing us tighter and tighter together, until we have nowhere left go. They'll be able to eat us easily then." She reasoned, clearly having experience with such animals and the way they would treat their prey. "We have to run while we still have room left to move!"_

 _Panicked, unsure and scared, Rean simply agreed. "Y-Yeah, okay, l-let's do it!"_

 _It was because of this, that as the wolves drew too close for comfort, the children made a break for it, sprinting forward together in an attempt to escape. Or at least, that's how they had intended it to go._

 _The beasts didn't flinch as they were rushed, and attempted to buck their prey back into place, stopping them momentarily, the two quickly halting. But as one of the animals shifted forward and snapped their teeth at the kids, they were met with force. Fie snatched up the biggest stone she could, three times the size of her hand and chucked it at the animal's face, hitting it between the eyes, causing it yelp in pain and jump back. And that, was their opening._

 _"Rean, go!"_

 _"Fie, wait!"_

 _The tiny silver haired girl was already moving, paying no heed to her friend's warning, as she expected him to follow her regardless. What she failed to notice, until the very last moment, was that one of the wolves had moved, the biggest one, most likely the alpha. She wasn't given time to locate it, as it was instantly upon her, knocking her to the ground, snarling and teeth snapping._

 _It had lunged for her, and now had her pinned to the ground, where it would surely tear her face off._

 _Disoriented, all the six year old understood in that moment, was that she was about to die. As a result, her survival instincts kicked in, and her hands immediately shot up and latched onto the wolf's throat as best they could. She was trying to keep the thing from tearing out her throat, as it was attempting to do. Unfortunately, she didn't have the strength to hold the creature back for more than a few, short moments._

 _"FIE!"_

 _Rean didn't even think before acting, rushing to his friend's aid. He grabbed the largest stick within reach and, putting as much force behind it as his little arms were capable of, he swung it, hitting the alpha wolf in the side of the head as hard as he possibly could. The animal yelped and shifted focus to the young boy, growling dangerously._

 _The other three wolves, the one hit with the stone having recovered from it's daze, had closed the encirclement to the utmost then, restricting the children to a circle of roughly four feet of space._

 _Rean took notice of this, looking behind him at the wolf nearly breathing down his neck through blurry vision thanks to the tears of fright and anxiety in his eyes. Glancing at the wolves to his sides as well, his breath hitched in his throat, and a whole new wave of fear washed over him, causing his grip to slacken and the stick to fall from his grasp. As a result, he didn't see the alpha return it's attention to Fie._

 _"Run Rean!" She yelled, hoping against hope he would listen._

 _Alpha wolf didn't take kindly to this, as it attempted to sink it's teeth into her face. It was denied, as at the last moment she brought one of her arms up in an attempt to defend herself, causing it to latch onto it instead, sharp teeth piercing flesh. The young girl's scream rang out, echoing through the immediate area, as blood flowed from her arm, coming out through her shirt and jacket and running down the arm of her outermost layer of clothing._

 _It was her scream that caused him to act. Before either of them knew it, Rean had tackled the alpha wolf, knocking it off of her, the animal kicking wildly, bewildered as it was taken to the ground with the boy, landing in the snow and skidding a couple of feet._

 _Seeing their alpha attacked for a second time, the other three carnivores acted, lunging for the downed boy. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rean cried out, as the wolves mauled him, biting and scratching, tearing away at him._

 _"REAN!" Fie, despite the pain she was in, was quickly on her feet, grimacing as she forced herself up. She ran to him, having every intention of saving him, getting the wolves off of him, somehow. She honestly had no clue as to how she would accomplish that, as she wasn't thinking clearly, not anymore. The pain and the newfound level of fear managed to keep her from doing so._

 _She snatched up the stick Rean had used and attempted to swat them with it, but they were far too involved in their mauling to heed her attempts, especially since, with her injured arm, she couldn't put all her power; as small as that amount might be for a girl her age, into it. One of them simply bit it in half, knocked her away and returned to the boy._

 _Rean simply continued to scream, agony coursing through him as the feral animals tore into his body, his thick layers of clothing providing only the slightest resistance in keeping them from his skin._

 _The alpha had regained it's bearings, having gotten back up. It's brethren pinning it's attacker down, face first in the snow, it quickly took advantage and joined in on the assault. Biting down with all the ferocity it's hunger provided it, the beast sunk it's fangs into the young boy's left shoulder, blood running from the newly inflicted wound, running down his back to mingle with the rest of the blood the wolves were causing him to shed, as they ripped into his little body. Needless to say, his screams continued to ring out._

 _Terror and panic, these emotions ran rampant through Fie, the life of one of the only two friends she ever had now in her hands. The one who had found her that night in the blizzard, who brought her home so she could have somewhere safe and warm to stay. He was the first friend she ever had. If she didn't stop them, he would die a horrible death, all because he wished to save her from the same fate._

 _All caution had been thrown to the wind when the wolves had pinned Rean to the ground, now, as desperation overcame her completely, Fie threw all reason to the wind as well._

 _Scrambling to her feet, Fie rushed back over to the wolves and threw herself at the alpha. She failed to build enough momentum to dislodge him, but that hadn't been her intention anyway. Grabbing hold of the fur on the back of his neck, she began to pull, using all the strength she could muster with an injured arm to try and get the animal to remove it's teeth from her best friend's flesh. It failed miserably, of course, as the beast ignored her entirely, not that this fact stopped her._

 _"Let go of him! Let go! Let go! Let go, let go, let go!" She chanted, continuing to try and manually remove the carnivore's teeth from her friend's body, to no avail._

 _Changing the position of her hands, she took hold of the white wolf's ears and began to heave and tug with as much oomph as she could muster. "I SAID LET GO! LET GO!" She shouted, tears in her eyes._

 _As if to spite her. the alpha wolf clamped it's jaws down even harder on the young boy's shoulder, bearing down as hard as it possibly could, even grinding it's teeth inside his flesh, tearing at muscle tissue in doing so, all as what seemed like a sign of defiance. The flow of the red life liquid coming from Rean's left shoulder increased and his screams redoubled, a blood curdling cry ripped from his throat, as the anguish of the wolf's fangs meeting his bone occurred._

 _"STOP IT! STOP! JUST STOP IT, PLEASE! LET GO OF HIM!" Fie screamed at the top of her lungs, tears of frustration and fright streaming down her face._

 _When the alpha failed to comply once more, Fie did something crazy, head shooting forward and biting the side of the animal's neck with as much force as her jaws could muster. It caused the creature to whimper, but it refused to unlock it's jaw, simply shaking it's head in an attempt to get the girl off. In doing so, it also increased the agony Rean was being forced to endure._

 _Fie backed off, as it wasn't working, vision blurry, heart racing. Still, she was capable of noticing the fact that blood had begun to pool beneath the form of her best friend, staining the white snow crimson. More than that, she noticed his cries of pain had come to an end. His eyes now closed, he was either unconscious or..._

 _She had to stop them, now! She had entered a state of hysteria in that moment, hardly even capable of rational thought anymore. Terror, anger, and desperation rolled off her in waves._

 _Face scrunched up, the little girl's anger overflowed, becoming her dominant emotion for a split second. That was all she needed, as in that moment, fueled by rage, she reached out and took hold of a rock, twice the size of her hand. In just a single second, she was back at the head of the alpha, bringing the rock down on it's head with all the might in her uninjured right arm, letting out a cry of effort as she did. It collided with the animal's skull with a thunk, managing to break it's skin even through the protection of it's somewhat thick fur, it's ruby red life substance beginning to trickle down it's head, between it's eyes and down to it's snout._

 _An audible yelp came from it, yet still, it persisted in it's grip. Not that Fie could even register this fact, as she brought the thick rock back down again, slamming it down into the mammal's skull._

 _She didn't wait to see if it would let go, bringing it down once more, and ramming it into the carnivore's cranium. Obviously, third time's the charm, as the alpha wolf released it's hold on Rean's shoulder, hurt and angry, it snarled and was going to leap at the young girl. However, before it could, she brought the rock down on it's head yet again, managing to inflict enough damage to cause it to collapse onto the ground, letting out a short howl of pain._

 _This attracted the attention of the other three wolves, the creature's abandoning their task of mauling the small boy, eyes focusing on the one assaulting their alpha._

 _Fie was unable to take notice of this, as she was suffering from tunnel vision, focusing in solely on the alpha wolf. Knocking it to it's belly wasn't enough, as she brought the rock down upon it again, and again, and again, letting out a short verbalization of her exertion with each hit as she did._

 _She hit it over and over, blood beginning to soak through it's fur, as she bludgeoned it to death with the small stone. With each collision of stone and skull, blood splattered onto the snowy ground as well as her clothes, her cries also grew longer and louder, until she was screaming as she battered it's head, all her rage flowing through her as she murdered the creature._

 _Eventually, after many, many strikes of the stone, she stopped bludgeoning the clearly deceased beast. She had more than likely caved it's skull in, the trauma it sustained to it's brain being more than enough to end it's existence._

 _Huffing and puffing from her overexertion, her breath coming out in visible wisps, the girl registered that the mammal was finally dead. She also realized, spotting them out of the corner of her eye, that the other three wolves had backed off of her friend, and were currently cowering in fear of her, shaking like mad._

 _She found it more than a little difficult to catch her breath, not to mention her arms were so numb she couldn't even faintly feel them, so she was a sitting duck, having put everything she had into the killing of the alpha wolf. In the state she was in, she could hardly even try and scare them off. So, it was inexorable that the wolves would overcome their fear, or at the very least, grow desperate because of it and lash out at the young girl._

 _Her life, it quickly turned out, was in no danger, as Baron Teo Schwarzer quickly arrived on the scene, striding in on horseback. Arthur came to an elegant stop, as the Baron dropped from his saddle and landed in the snow, brandishing a sword as he did._

 _"Hyaa! Get the hell out of here!" The Baron menaced the three remaining wolves, sending them running off with their tails between their legs._

 _With them gone, Teo turned his attention to the children. "Dear Aidios..." He quietly gasped._

 _Little Rean lie face down, in a small pool of blood. His clothes were a mess, shredded all to hell, and he was covered in nasty bite and scratch marks. Many were visibly shallow, only just bringing blood. However, there were several that weren't so superficial, deep enough that it would take at least a month to heal. And as they would later come to find out, the wound in his left shoulder was the worst of it, as it would leave a permanent scar._

 _Experienced with wounds such as these, Teo Schwarzer could tell immediately that most of it wasn't too severe, or at least, none of them were life threatening. The main problem, the immediate concern, was how much blood his boy was losing. He needed to get him treated ASAP._

 _Taking notice of the blood spatter on the Fie's clothes, the young girl by his child's side, as well as the bite wound on her left arm, he knew he'd have to get her medical attention as well. He took note of the corpse of the wolf, putting the pieces together pretty quickly. She had protected his son. Needless to say, he would always remember that._

 _..._

 _Teo whisked them back to the village then, where they would receive the medical treatment they needed. In the end, no loss of life occurred, and the whole thing was treated as random occurrence, a freak accident of sorts. Rean was taken care of and doted on until he recovered, Teo increased his number of hunting trips, and Elise became rather clingy for some time, but otherwise nothing really changed or happened in the aftermath of it._

 _Fie didn't speak of what she had done in an attempt to save Rean, nor did anyone press her on the matter. She made it clear she didn't wish to talk about it, and they respected her wishes. Because of this, only she knew of the entirety of the incident, and she had no intention of ever disclosing what had happened, especially to Rean. She knew exactly how he'd react...he'd be shocked, but would quickly recover and smile at her, before thanking her for saving his life. And she didn't think she could handle that, she couldn't stand the thought of him thanking her, when he'd been the one to save her. He was nearly mauled to death for trying to save her..._

 _Because of her silence, the incident was all but forgotten in a few months time. However, it would stay with the young silver-haired girl for years to come..._

* * *

"Something wrong?" Rean's voice suddenly reached Fie, snapping her out of her state of recollection.

The diffident swordsman was now facing her, having stood up and turned to her once he noticed she was no longer assisting him at the flower bed.

"No, nothing. Was just thinking is all." She assured him.

"Alright, if you say so." He accepted her words at face value, not picking up on anything more than an honest answer in her tone.

"Here, let's finish up." She said as she rejoined him at the flower bed.

...

"That should do it." Fie said, as they finally finished. "They should bloom in a few months if I raise them right." She added.

"I'm sure they'll grow up big and strong with you looking after them." Rean stated with confidence.

"I hope so." The silver haired teen went quiet for a few moments, before speaking softly once more, "Thanks for the help, Rean."

"Anytime Fie." Rean assured her with a smile.

They spoke for a few more moments, before Rean took his leave. And as he did, Fie watched after his back, thinking to herself as she did, 'If being willing to lay your life down for someone is love, then that means he's wrong. If that's true, then he would know far more about love than I do. He's saved my life three times, he's saved Elise, and Elliot too. And he's only known him for a little while...' Her mind trailed off for a brief moment, before returning to her line of thinking. 'I've no doubt he'll continue to save people in the future. That's the only goal he seems to have, to be capable of protecting others...'

* * *

It was a little past noon when Rean decided to stop by the library, thinking he'd relax with a book for a bit before it was time to head into the old schoolhouse. After greeting the librarian, he spotted a certain blonde from his class, sitting in the left corner of the bottom floor, sitting at a table with nothing but a book to keep him company.

This was most certainly not the first time the swordsman had seen his fellow noble here in the library, in fact, it was a common occurrence. This was the only place he ever saw him actually, outside of class at least. He was always by himself as well, never even bothering to look up when someone would walk by him. 'With the exception of a couple weeks ago in the computer room, I've never seen him talk to anyone else in Class VII when he didn't have to.' Rean thought to himself. 'He helped me out, and it would do for me to get along better with my classmates. Maybe I can't get him to become a friend, but it wouldn't hurt to get to know the guy a little better at least...'

With that decided, Rean approached the table Jusis occupied.

"Oh, it's you." Jusis acknowledged Rean's presence with a neutral tone as he raised his head.

"Hey there, Jusis." Rean greeted pleasantly. "I see you here pretty often, I guess you must be quite the avid reader, huh?" It was a somewhat poor attempt at starting a conversation, and they both knew it. 'Well, that was a lame way to start things off. Great job Rean.' The swordsman mentally chided himself

Even still... "Heh. I wouldn't put it like that, exactly." Jusis replied, humoring his classmate and the shoddy conversation piece he had thrown out. "There's not much else to do, so I just came to pass the time."

"Right..." The dark-haired teen said with a nod of his head, unsure of how to continue this conversation for a moment. "Say, would you mind if I joined you?"

"Hmph. You needn't ask for my permission." Jusis responded bluntly. "You can do as you please." The blonde boy stated the obvious.

"Well then, I hope you don't mind my company." The grey-tinted fuchsia eyed seventeen year old said simply, before moving away for a moment to grab himself a book, returning to the table afterward to sit down.

...

After a number of minutes of reading in silence, Rean decided to make a second attempt at conversation with his fellow noble. Putting his book down for the moment, he looked toward the blue-eyed teen across from him, and asked, "What is that you're reading, anyway?"

"It's a book on the many legends that are told throughout the Empire." Jusis informed him.

"There's certainly no shortage of those, is there?" Rean questioned rhetorically. "I've heard stories about witches, gnomes, spirits, and even vampires. Hold on...are you into those kinds of stories, Jusis?" He inquired with curiosity.

"These are merely a means to a fuller knowledge of the Empire." Jusis answered his classmate with a scoff. "Though, I can't deny that they make for interesting reads." He added at the last moment, apparently genuinely interested in the subject matter.

"Hey, look over there...!" Came the sound of a hushed feminine voice suddenly, interrupting the two teen's conversation.

Rean spotted them then, standing halfway up the stairs to the second floor of the library, the girl who had caught their attention, along with her two friends. He chose not to look directly at them, lest they become aware of the fact he and Jusis had heard them.

They wore green, so they weren't of the noble class. Their only real defining features, that made them stand out, were their hair colors. The first girl had long fuchsia colored hair, the second short brown hair, and the third medium-length red hair.

Unbeknownst to these three girls, the two nobles they were all but gawking at could hear their every word.

"That boy's from one of the Four Great Houses, right? House Albarea?" The brown-haired girl queried her friends.

"He totally is! And by Aidios, is he hot." The redhead stated, her voice still hushed, but noticeably louder than her two companions. "It should be illegal for a boy to be that handsome." She added, sounding just a tad titillated.

"He fits the noble archetype to a T, doesn't he?" The fuchsia-haired girl said then. "Dignified air, dashing good looks, the whole shabang."

"You have no idea. He's incredibly refined. He carries himself with such grace and confidence. Not to mention his voice, ah, makes you want to melt." The red-haired girl continued to gush over the blonde noble.

"I won't lie, I wouldn't mind getting him alone for a few minutes." The fuchsia-haired girl confessed, a slight blush staining her cheeks.

"You don't suppose he's friends with that guy next to him, do you?" Their brown-haired, and clearly more level-headed, friend interjected then.

"I was guessing that he was...you gotta wonder what kind of people a big name like that would hang out with." The long haired girl replied, blush having faded, sounding a little curious as she did.

"Oh, it's almost time! We've gotta get back to the dorms!" The short-haired girl told them hurriedly, as she moved to descend the steps.

"Hey, wait up!" Her friends called after, at a much higher volume than they had been speaking at moments before, earning them a warning glance and a polite hush from the librarian. Not that they did much more than mutter quick apologies, as the three of the speed walked down the steps and right out of the library.

Now that they were gone, Rean couldn't help but sweatdrop. "So THAT's what it's like to be famous." The diffident swordsman observed a tad humorously.

"Hmph. This is a daily occurrence." Jusis enlightened his fellow swordsman to this fact, clearly not caring for it judging by his almost sour-looking expression, having just put his book down.

"Honestly, I'm not really surprised by that." Rean responded with a shake of his head. "Though I will admit, I'm almost jealous. I mean, I know it must get annoying after awhile, but it's not the worst thing in the world to have girls fawning over you, is it?"

"I think a certain silver-haired maiden would be more than a little upset to hear you say that." Jusis softly remarked with a small, mirthful grin, returning his eyes to his book as he did.

"What's that?" Rean questioned, clearly confused by the blonde's remark, especially since he had only faintly heard it.

"My, you are oblivious, aren't you?" Jusis noted, eyes returning to the face of his classmate, his brow quirked, sounding almost disbelieving that someone could be so dense.

"Oblivious? Oblivious how? What do you mean?" The dark-haired teen further questioned, even more confused than before.

In that moment, Jusis caught himself getting too friendly, and quickly reigned it back in. His grin, small as it was, faded and a neutral expression returned to his visage once more.

Rean took notice of this immediately, and found himself disappointed, 'We were getting along there for a moment...'

"You're a noble yourself. Such occurrences as these would happen to you if you ever acted like one." The blonde-haired teen told him, now back on topic. And yet, despite his return to form, there was a slight air of...pleasantness in his tone that wasn't there before.

'Better than nothing.' Rean thought to himself, before chuckling at the other teen's words. "Fair point." He conceded to his fellow noble. "That said, not sure I'd want that, as tempting as it might seem at times. Still, maybe I could stand to learn a lesson or two from you." The raven-haired boy confessed without thinking, displaying for the first time his insecurity about his position in his family, even if it was ever so subtly.

That, once more, got the esteemed noble to lower his book, having managed to pick up on that uncertainty. However, he didn't respond, at least not right away. He was silent for a few moments, seemingly thinking through what he was about to say, perhaps considering whether he should actually speak or not. He decided quickly enough, as he met his classmate's gaze and said, "One cannot escape their nobility. As such, it should be worn with pride." It was a simple phrase, yet in that moment, it held much weight. Most likely because the one speaking it held the words in such high regard in the first place.

Rean found himself without a reply to that, unsure of how to. He hadn't meant to say as much as he did, but seeing how Jusis was and how people reacted to him firsthand caused him to slip up, even if only momentarily.

"Someone told me that when I was a child." Jusis divulged then. "Someone very close to me." He further disclosed, almost an air of melancholy around him in that moment.

"Jusis..." Rean spoke his classmate's name, concern in his voice.

"Perhaps you should consider those words yourself." Jusis advised his fellow noble, before returning to his book once more.

The humble swordsman remained quiet for a number of moments then, before eventually, "Yeah, I'll do that." He softly confirmed he would.

No more words were shared between the two, as they went on to read in silence.

* * *

The time had come to continue the expedition into the depths of the old schoolhouse, so, after calling up the four classmates that wished to accompany him, Rean led them inside.

"It's been about a month already, huh?" Elliot began to speak as the doors behind them closed. "I'm still kind of scared, but we can't just leave this place locked and pretend nothing weird's going on in here." The orange-haired teen acknowledged aloud.

"Yeah, especially with the principal himself asking us to keep exploring it." Rean mentioned. "We'll just have to take things nice and slow. And I'm counting on you guys for backup."

"Understood." Laura responded firmly. "I wish to do everything I can to assist in the name of Class VII. Even if more fiends were to appear, I'd relish the chance to test my mettle against them." The well-spoken swordswoman stated with confidence.

"Ahaha...I feel a lot safer with you around, Laura." The timid violinist confessed with a smile.

"While we should still be on our guard, I truly don't think there is much to be concerned about." Gaius asserted then. "After all, we have the the top three warriors of our class with us."

"Heh, you're right. Guess I'm all nervous for no good reason." Elliot replied with a chuckle.

At the softspoken nord's assertion, Laura found herself glancing at the silent silver-haired girl out of her peripheral vision. It was far from the first time she had done so over the past weeks.

Fie took notice of the sideways look sent her way, having seen them many times before in her life, from people of all walks of life. This wasn't the first time she had caught Laura looking at her like this either. That agitated her. "Got something to say?" She questioned, her tone taking on the slightest hint of uncharacteristic hostility.

"No, nothing." The blue-haired noble girl responded automatically, sounding a little cold.

Gaius and Elliot looked toward the two with concern then, but chose not to verbalize their worry, not thinking that to be the best option.

'This could be troublesome.' Was the immediate thought that popped into Rean's head. After all, the last thing they needed was more conflict inside their little class. Still, they had a task, from the head of the school no less, to complete. That took priority, at least for the moment, so they would simply have to push on. "Come on, let's go."


	10. Gratitude

Manu259: Glad you seem so excited. I'm happy to hear from you again, thank you. Yeah, it's definitely small. Especially for someone like me who won't read a story unless it's Rean/Fie or Rean/Harem, or just some kind of fic with no romance and the characters just bonding or such. Mine? One of the best? I mean there aren't a whole lot to choose from, but even still, that's high praise. Probably too high for me to deserve it, honestly. However, I thank you ever so much for it regardless, as I'll admit, it definitely makes me feel good. :) So, thanks again.

Yep, more backstory, with even more to come, in fact. For childhood flashbacks, we've still got a few left before I'm out of them. And then...well, let's just say I've got some stuff up my sleeve and leave it at that for now. Yeah, Rean can be pretty oblivious at times, that's just how it is. It's almost jarring sometimes though, considering how perceptive he can be at other times. Pretty much, big ol' softie Crow, ya gotta love him. As for him taking Rean down a dark path...well, I'll just keep quiet on that one. (Mwahahahaha!)

Thank you for reading and reviewing, it really means a lot to me. I hope I can get some more out soon as well, we'll just have to see how things go though. See ya, hopefully, soon after this goes up.

legok2007: Thanks. I'm glad. I'll do my best.

Apex85: I can see where you're coming from, but I'll be standing by my decision on that. I, at the least, think Patrick knew, everything considered. Again, could be dead wrong, but having played the game through four or five times at least, that's the conclusion I've come to. Sorry if this comes off as rude, that's not my intention. I find it rather difficult to portray tone through text without descriptor words or going through the motions of describing facial expressions and such. My bad. :P Basically, I'm saying let's agree to disagree. Cool? :)

I'm happy you like the flashbacks so much, thank you. Well she'll be happy, of course. Jealous as well...you know what, I'll just leave it at that and let you see for yourself when the time comes. XP

Grey Hawx: Really? Cool. I'm happy you managed to find it, and quite glad you like it.  
That's quite the compliment, thank you. :) Fie is best girl, on that we can agree.  
Thanks, though I don't feel there was all that much change, besides the participants and the inclusion of Warrick. I plan to ramp up the changes as the story goes on, starting small and working bigger and bigger as time goes on. It's just gonna start real slow first. As for Rean and Fie's histories, they're not the only ones I plan on expanding upon..ah, I've said too much. I'll shut up now. XP

Heero De Fanel: Yeah, you've got a point there. I mentioned some NPCs, I wouldn't really call that showing them love. Now, some of the things I have in mind later for certain ones, such as Rex and Vivi, that will definitely be me showing the NPCs some love. I'm glad you enjoyed the flashback. :) I enjoyed writing it, it was my favorite part of the chapter, in fact. Pretty much, yeah, never know how things will be influenced by the smallest of changes. Oh trust me, I've got some good stuff planned for the next field study, as for the Old Schoolhouse, well, I have good stuff planned for that as well, but more off and on than not.

On the subject from above about expanding backstories, just as a general note to my readers, I plan on giving myself leeway with certain people's backstories and the abilities and powers of the Legend Of Heroes universe. So while not immediately, I will eventually play around with what kind of abilities and powers that do and don't exist within the games. As much as I'd like to stick strictly to the core rules and principles of the games and their lore, I feel a little bending of said rules here and there is more than acceptable, as long as do my best to stay within bounds, even if it's just barely. That won't be happening for awhile, I think, so it's not relevant at the moment, but it eventually will be. I just wanted to get out ahead of it, before it started occurring within the story. And...that's pretty much all I have to say on the matter. Moving on.

Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. Haveltherock3, mattw2017, linksword01, Eseelti, Valimar, kuroinekomata, Flavius001, GloriousAzure, 1sttehb, Grey Hawx, c039, LeDeepThought, Xenixith, thank you!

Now then, please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT** **I - CHAPTER II - PART II**_

 **...**

The sun had just barely begun to set, as a certain raven-haired swordsman plopped down onto the middle bench of the Thors Military Academy courtyard.

"That could have gone better." Rean remarked aloud to himself with a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance as he did.

Needless to say, the third ever excursion into the depths of the old schoolhouse did not go well. It had started off fine, with some banter shared between the members of the group as they found a device that acted as some sort of elevator, and after messing with it for a handful or so of moments got it to take them to the next floor down, which didn't exist last time mind you. Fie and Laura did not participate in said banter, for obvious reasons, however, they did nothing to bring the boys down or disrupt the flow of conversation, or the rate of progress they quickly established in exploring this sudden new floor. They even responded when they were spoken to directly, pleasantly, in fact. They just simply did their best to ignore each other the whole time, which was not a short length.

Things took a turn for the worse though when they reached the end of the floor, where another tough fiend appeared to combat them, or rather, three fiends. Each was identical, looking almost like cocooned moths made of greenish-brown stone, with a single green gem-like eye located in the middle of what was most likely their foreheads. The six teens acted swiftly and formed combat links and attempted to take on the creatures, trying to evenly split up and have two of them to fight each one of the beasts. This was little more than a waste of time, as it turned out, as the fiends favored attacking in tandem, and as such, quickly forced the students to scrap their original plan and engage the monsters on their terms, all at once. Now, that wouldn't have been so bad, as the danger wouldn't have been anything out of the norm, as they had definitely taken on tougher monsters, Grunoja came to mind, even accounting for the fact that there were three of the things. However, this six man team was not coordinating quite as well as they should have been. And despite Elliot and Machias's lack of combat experience, in relation to their fellow teens, it wasn't the two of them who were screwing things up.

No, instead it was Fie and Laura. It was by no means their intention to impede their teammates or each other, however, the two were stepping all over each other's metaphorical toes during the battle, resulting in sloppy, for the top two fighters anyway, attempts to coordinate movement and attacks. The situation was only exacerbated further when the two girls combat link proceeded to break, seemingly out of the blue. With it severed, their timing, in relation to each other at least, deteriorated to an even greater degree, not to mention the momentary shock the severing of their link caused the group. Which the fiends capitalized on, pushing them back and nearly seriously injuring Machias in doing so. Thankfully, Rean and Gaius were in position to put two of the moth-like stone creatures out of commission, reducing the threat to a minimal level, only one of them remaining. And that surviving fiend was swiftly put down as well, thanks to the combined efforts of Elliot and Machias.

The skirmish having come to an abrupt end, the six students were left with an air of uneasy tension and silence, no one saying a word. Adding fuel to the fire, the two females in question, now that the fighting was no longer going on, had begun calmly glaring at one and other. They weren't boring holes into each other, but there was certainly some animosity in their eyes, that was for sure. Whatever their problem was, it became evident that it had been magnified by the blunder they had just experienced. In short, if it was possible, their relationship had soured even further. It was because of this that Elliot and Machias both found themselves hesitant to speak, unsure if their words would cause the situation to grow volatile. Gaius would have said something, but he could see Rean was going to do so, and as such chose to hold back.

 _"What was that?"_ Rean had asked of them, perplexed and concerned.

Their failure to synchronize their movements in a correct manner, not to mention the severing of their combat link, was a little disconcerting to the others. After all, with the exception of Rean and Fie, it was the young former jaeger and Laura who had the easiest time linking together. As childhood friends, the swordsman and the ex-jaeger could link just about automatically, while for the latter of the two and the swordswoman, it only required the absolute bare minimum of effort for them to sync up. So it was rather bizarre for the second most proficient, by far, of the established link-pairs to experience such a trip-up. Which simply made their quarrel with one and other all the more obvious, as why else would they be having such difficulties, other than that they had some sort of contention between them?

It was clear neither girl would answer Rean, so he dropped it for the moment. _"Fine. That ends our venture down here for today. Let's head back up before someone ends up getting hurt."_

Which led to the current point in time, with Rean sitting on the bench in the courtyard, Fie having wandered off somewhere, Gaius, Elliot and Machias having headed back to the dorms and Laura having gone off to the gym to be alone.

'It's time to sort this out.' With that thought in mind, Rean stood up. Having decided he was going to figure out what this was all about, he turned his attention toward the gym, and he began to move his feet.

* * *

Rean caught sight of her in short order, the swordswoman practicing sword katas in the Fencing Club room. The actual members of said club were absent, leaving the two classmates as the only people even in the gym. 'She's really concentrating...' He noted mentally. 'Well, I can't see any downsides to watching Laura train. Maybe I'll even learn a thing or two...' The diffident swordsman thought to himself, having decided he'd let her finish her set before speaking with her.

...

Rean's spectating only lasted a few short minutes, as Laura finished her set of katas with two quick strokes of her blade and, with a cry of effort, a final revolving slash, extending a full three hundred sixty degrees.

Laura exited her stance and stood up straight, inhaling through her nose, before exhaling deeply out of her mouth. It was then her attention was pulled to the spot behind her, where she found her fellow blade wielder politely clapping, the noise of which let her know he was there.

"Haha, impressive as always, Laura." Rean complimented her.

"Oh, Rean. I didn't see you come in." Was Laura's response as she put her blade away, a little surprised she hadn't noticed his presence.

The dark-haired boy chuckled at this. "Sorry. I saw you practicing and couldn't help but stand and watch." He replied. "I didn't want to break your concentration with some big greeting, either. I'm glad I didn't, because your form was spectacular." He continued with a small smile.

"That's very kind of you, Rean." Laura said pleasantly. "But there's no need to lie. You're a skilled enough swordsman to have seen the uncertainty in my every swing just now." She bluntly called out his white lie.

Rean sighed at that. "Sorry. I didn't mention it because it wasn't all that noticeable. I figured since that was the case, I should just ignore it." He explained himself. "I guess I was out of line."

"I understand your desire to protect my feelings, but I still have a ways to go. There's nothing more to it." The well-spoken swordswoman stated. "I was hoping that practice would clear my mind, but unfortunately, that was not the case." The blue-haired noble bemoaned, more to herself than her classmate.

"I don't think I need to ask what has you troubled, seeing as I witnessed it myself firsthand." Rean started. "That said, would you mind telling me what exactly the problem is? I mean, I have an idea, but if I don't know the details, it's rather doubtful I'll be of any help."

Laura took a moment to digest that, clearly thinking over whether or not it would be best to talk about it. It didn't take long for her to come to a decision though. "Alisa told me that, as Fie's elder, I shouldn't let my emotions get to me so much." She began. "That's a perfectly reasonable expectation, however, I find myself failing to do so time after time." The seventeen year old admitted. "I suppose this means I'm more hotheaded than I had originally thought." The blue-haired girl acknowledged this fact, a pensive expression now upon her face.

"Laura, listen...this problem you have with Fie, it stems from her past as a jaeger, doesn't it?" Rean voiced his theory as to why this schism had occurred between the two girls.

Laura immediately lowered her gaze to the floor, as she went quiet for a number of moments, silence filling the air for a long time before any noise penetrated it. Eventually, the noble-born girl worked up the nerve to answer. "It is...difficult to separate Fie from my preconceptions of jaegers." She unbosomed herself to Rean, guilt flooding her tone, raising her head to meet her fellow sword wielder's gaze once more. "I am fully aware that this is just prejudice on my part, born of atrocities committed by persons who have no connections with her in any way, shape or form. It was not Fie that performed all those awful acts, I am aware of this, I know it. And yet..." It was then that she hesitated, unsure if she wished to continue. "I cannot bring myself to accept her." She suddenly confessed, forcing her way past her hesitance.

Lowering her head in shame, the swordswoman's usual strong, clear voice, became almost demure as she continued to speak. "Her path in life is simply irreconcilable with mine. She comes from what is completely antithetical to the way of the knight. And as a result...my heart and mind reject her very existence." She confided, the shame and guilt compounding as she spoke the truth of her feelings aloud.

Silence...

Laura could not bring herself to lift her head, lest she face the negative emotions she sure she was stirring within the boy across from her. After all, he was close to Fie, very close.

No response came from him, and yet, Laura could already pick up on his reaction, as his aura had shifted, and it certainly wasn't in a positive way...

Fists clenched tight, Rean bit his tongue, both metaphorically and literally, as he held his anger back. To hear someone say such things about a girl so precious to him, it did not make it easy to keep his emotions in check. Exasperation, annoyance and embarrassment, Fie and Crow had made him feel these things openly and against his self-imposed policy of reservedness. With the exception of Fie informing him of how she had been abandoned, this was the first time he had felt angry in spite of himself and his efforts to continuously reign his feelings in. Still, he kept the nature of his feelings to himself for the most part, able to keep his expression calm.

Not that such a thing kept Laura from figuring it out, having already done so. An even if she hadn't, as she looked back up at him, she would know without a doubt. As a none too kind look in his eyes was waiting for her, that combined with his tightly clenched fists made it clear how he felt toward her at the moment. "You have my sincerest apologies, Rean." The sincerity in her voice was almost staggering, genuine in her expression of apology. The guilt and shame hadn't gone anywhere, shining through her eyes as she continued. "I know that you must be livid with me. I am talking about your best friend, after all."

At that Rean proceeded to take in a deep breath, before exhaling very slowly. As he did, his fists came unclenched, and his eyes returned to their sympathetic and friendly state. "Look, I'm not going to pretend I understand how you feel, nor am I going to judge you for feeling this way in the first place. I know Fie, I understand what kind of person she is. You, on the other hand, don't have a clue." He stated bluntly. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be having such a hard time of it trying to see her as separate from other jaegers. It's because of that that I can see where you're coming from." He informed her. "I think you know that, at least to some degree right? Otherwise, you'd have said all this directly to Fie." He surmised.

Laura nodded her head in confirmation. "Yes. I have no desire to say such things to her. They would be beyond hurtful, and with the way she's been acting with the other students, I do not wish to add onto their undoubtedly unkind words. Unfortunately, I felt I needed to get it off my chest, which is why with your prompting, I unloaded onto you. I'm sorry for that." She apologized once more, the genuineness of her sincerity not having faded in the slightest.

"It's okay, I don't mind, really." He assured her with a tiny smile. It wasn't forced, but it was almost strained, as while he truly didn't mind listening and talking to her, the topic had grated on him.

"But, I will say that I don't think there's any need to force yourself to be any more of an adult than you are." He told her suddenly.

"What?" Was Laura's eloquent response, which was rather uncharacteristic of her, showing how confused she was by the words.

"You're trying so hard to act like an adult, when you don't need to. For one thing, we're not adults!" Rean attempted to stress this fact. "We're students, and we're here in part to learn how to be adults." He tried to get this point across to her. "It's like swordsmanship. No matter how hard you train, you can't rush mastery." Rean analogized. "These things take time, right? That's why I don't think you should try to will yourself into adulthood." He elucidated.

"Rean..." While it wasn't much, Laura did feel some of her guilt and shame ebb away. It made her feel the slightest bit better, and she quite appreciated that.

"If you ever need to clear your mind, just give me a call. We're both pursuing the way of the sword, so the least I can do is spar with you every once in a while." The seventeen year old boy remarked.

Laura couldn't help but chuckle at this. "It's funny, that was actually what I was going to ask you earlier this month." She informed him. "I've been wanting to spar with you for a little while now."

"If you want, we could go at it right now." The diffident swordsman offered.

"No, that won't be necessary." Laura assured him "I'd like to take the time to think things over on my own today."

"That's perfectly fine." He replied.

"I do appreciate your offer, though...and I'll be sure to take you up on it once I've resolved my current concerns." Laura stated with confidence, a small smile forming on her face.

"Got it. Really looking forward to that."

"Haha. Thank you, Rean."

With their little heart to heart at an end, Rean moved to leave the fencing club room, but just before he did, he turned back and gave one last remark. "In time, you and Fie will come to an understanding. When that happens, I have no doubt that you two will be closer than ever." He reassured Laura. And with that, he left.

* * *

While Rean hadn't exactly solved the problem between Fie and Laura, at least now he understood it better. That would go a long way in helping him resolve the conflict between them. And, having gotten one side of it, now he was going on to hear the other, straight from his childhood friend's mouth. Though, he was rather sure he already knew what it was. 'She's obviously picked up on Laura's feelings, among other things. It probably did more than just sting with how well they seemed to get along almost instantly. Something like that could make just about anyone lash out. The fact that this is only happening now...well, it just goes to show that Fie's just as good as bottling her feelings up as I am. Probably better, in fact.' He noted mentally, the thought sobering. 'She's had to do this just as long as I have, maybe even longer.' He further though to himself.

"That's probably part of the reason she's so desensitized to everything now." Rean spoke aloud suddenly. "She always was a quiet girl, but never quite this stoic." He remarked to himself. 'Then again, most of the credit almost undoubtedly goes to the horrors she's more than likely witnessed in her life as a jaeger. Not to mention the mental and emotional trauma that must have been inflicted the day she was abandoned...' His thoughts had taken a depressing turn, as for a moment, he imagined what she must have gone through.

Quickly enough though, he shook those thoughts from his mind. "Enough of that. I should be focusing on fixing this for now, lest our class end up with a Machias and Jusis two point oh." He told himself after a good shake of his head.

Coming to a stop, Rean took a moment to think, wondering where Fie could be. She wasn't in the courtyard or the flower garden, nor was she on the field or at the cafeteria. He honestly didn't even know if she was still on school grounds. 'There is one other spot on school grounds she could be at.' He thought then, beginning to move once more.

Making his way around the main building, he started on the path that led back into the forest where the old school house sat. 'It's possible she doubled back after everyone left.'

...

A few short minutes later, Rean came to the end of the path and the beginning of the clearing where the old schoolhouse resided. At first glance he couldn't spot any sign of Fie. That being the case, he decided he would simply try and feel her out, by attempting to sense her presence. He'd abstained from doing so until now, so as to see if he could locate her without it. 'I was pretty sure she'd be around here too...'

Before he could do anything however, his eardrums were filled with the sound akin to a single, strong beat of a heart, and he was suddenly overcome with a feeling of weakness, almost doubling over in an instant, just barely managing to retain his footing as this...almost burning sensation overcame him. "AH!" He gasped, as he took a sharp intake of oxygen, while simultaneously clutching at his chest. 'What...is this!?'

This sensation flowed through the entirety of his body, but it was mainly concentrated in his chest, seeming to spread out from there. Panic set in, his eyes widening as fear joined in, as this was wholly foreign to him. He had never been through anything like this before. The only thing that compared was- 'No, no, please, no!' Rean thought frantically, his mind's eye suddenly consumed with images of that night eight years ago.

Yet, then, as quick as it had appeared, it seemed to vanish, the weakness and burning dissipating completely in an instant. His body back to normal, Rean was able to stand back up straight, correcting his posture as he took in several calming breaths. 'What the heck just happened to me!?' He couldn't help but wonder, his heart slowing from it's rapid pace and slowly returning to it's normal rhythm.

It was then that his eyes found themselves drawn the dilapidated building across the way from him. And in that moment, even if it was just for a nanosecond, he was absolutely sure that whatever that had just been, it had somehow come from the old schoolhouse. Confusion and a mix of other emotions buzzing about inside, Rean failed to notice the presence behind him, until it made itself known by unceremoniously shoving him.

He ate dirt, hitting the ground face first and sliding forward a few inches. "Ugh." He groaned at the sudden and unexpected pain, as small amount as it was.

"Long time no see, Schwarzer." Came the sudden cool voice of whoever had just pushed him to the ground.

Annoyance, aggravation, curiosity, these were the immediate emotions that the diffident swordsman felt in that moment. The first two were more than self-explanatory, the third was due to him wondering who this guy could possibly be. Not recognizing the voice in the slightest, the whole incident that had just occurred was momentarily forgotten, as Rean rolled over onto his back, propping himself up on his elbows. This allowed him to get a good look at the person who'd decided it'd be fun to put his face in the dirt.

The person was male, was of average build and height for his age, clearly nineteen and a second year, and wore the white school uniform of a noble. He possessed fair skin, dark green eyes and a mop of light orange hair upon his scalp. He also wore a rather smug grin upon his face, not to mention the abundance of condescension swimming in his eyes.

In short, he clearly looked down upon Rean, as if he was some kind of lesser being and unworthy of his time.

'Whatever, that's fine. I've dealt with people like him before.' A spoiled noble who was looking to put his 'lessers' in their place was nothing new to the dark-haired boy. The thought of the teen being here to ridicule, mock and otherwise bully him didn't really bother the Schwarzer all that much.

What did bother him, however, was what he'd said. "I'm sorry." He apologized preemptively. "Do I know you?" He inquired, not bothering to get up yet.

The orange-haired noble's grin slipped a little at that. "Mocking me, are you?" He questioned semi-rhetorically.

"Nope." Rean denied simply. "I've just got no idea who you are." He informed the older boy.

The nineteen year old's grin fully fell away at that, replaced with a frown. "You don't remember me? You don't honestly expect me to believe that, do you?" Queried the pompous noble with a quirked brow. "One does not simply forget someone of my prestige." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Uh, yeah...like I said, I really have no clue. Sorry." He apologized once more, genuine in his words, just as he had been with his previous apology.

The condescension and holier than thou attitude seemed to amp up even higher, if that was possible, as the noble-born teen responded to that. "To honestly forget someone like me...how scatterbrained and idiotic can one person be?" He questioned once more, this time fully rhetorical. "Someone as pathetic as you would be lucky to even be mentioned in the same breath as me, and yet you dare to disremember who I am?" He haughtily demanded. "You're as disrespectful and pitiful as ever."

It was then that Rean recalled just who this guy was.

* * *

 _It had been a pretty simple affair. The Schwarzer family had been attending a soiree hosted by one of the four main houses. There, an hour or so in, it came to the young boy's attention that some punk was picking on his kid sister. He'd attempted to get the older boy, the noble child being thirteen years of age, to leave her alone as peacefully as possible. He'd told him straight up that it wasn't nice to pick on younger kids like that and to leave her alone. That didn't stop him, so Rean had asked why he couldn't simply be kind, and why he needed to pick on his little sister like that, she hadn't done anything. That's when the snot-nosed bastard had responded with..._

 _"She is nothing but a lower-class wench, kindness would be wasted on her! She could hardly even be considered a noble anyways! The same goes for the entirety of the Schwarzer family!" He near shouted, his indignation crystal clear. "Not to mention she had the audacity to cause me to spill my drink all over myself! How useless and pathetic could she possibly be as to not be able to watch where she is going!?" He demanded pontifically. "Your 'sister' is clearly an unsophisticated shrew, who's only worth in life will to one day be some nobleman's broodmare or concubine!" The just barely turned thirteen noble finished, venom dripping from every syllable that left his mouth._

 _The verbal barrage had been incredibly difficult for the nine year old girl to endure, but she had held out in the face of it for the most part. However, during the final stretch, she could no longer hold back the tears, as she began to cry. As said tears streamed down her face and she began to openly sob, Rean decided he'd had enough._

 _He'd bit his tongue and stayed his hand, as he knew that to hit someone of this boy's stature and status would do nothing but make it even harder for his family. But to see his little sister, who'd helped take care of him for so long, opened her heart to him and treated him like a real big brother, he could no longer keep himself in check._

 _There was no fanfare for what followed, as an eleven year old Rean cocked back, and proceeded to deck the older boy square in the face._

* * *

"Oh, it's you." Rean said in sudden realization, the pleasant tone he'd been using up til now souring as he got up off the ground and back onto his feet.

"Of course it's me! How could someone possibly forget about Verrat Cayenne, son of Duke Cayenne of the four great houses!?" The way he said this, he clearly couldn't think of anything more ludicrous than that.

"Not nearly as hard as you think." Rean snarked, wearing his distaste for this individual out on his sleeve.

Verrat scoffed at that. "Truly unruly. Haven't you learned not to talk back to your betters? I thought someone might have finally drilled that into that small brain of yours. Clearly, I was mistaken in my assumption."

"I see you're just as obnoxious as ever." The raven-haired teen retorted.

The son of Duke Cayenne scowled at that, clearly not pleased with the attitude his junior was showing him.

"Look-" Rean started with a sigh. "-it's been six years since that party, and three since we've last seen each other. Let's just let sleeping dogs lie, alright?" He continued, attempting to extend an olive branch. "As much as I'm sure you can't stand me, and don't get me wrong; you are far from my favorite person in the world, it'd probably be better for both of us to let bygones be bygones." He opined. "We've got plenty of difficult coursework ahead of us, not to mention the pressure of deciding our futures within the span of only a year or two. We don't need some old, petty grudge on top of it all. We've got enough to worry about, don't you think?"

Rean, despite his strong dislike for the boy across from him, extended his hand out to him, in a show of respect. "What do you say? Water under the bridge?" In an attempt to be cordial, he offered a smile as well, even if it was a rather strained one.

Verrat seemed to take a moment to actually digest and think on what Rean had said to him. His scowl eased up, and the hostility seemed to fade some. Even though he had yet to take the offered hand, it was clear he was considering it. Or, at least that's what it looked like. In actuality though...

"Yeah, right." He said with a snort of disgust. "I would never touch the hand of a filthy commoner such as yourself by choice. You were adopted into your position in the nobility, not born. As far as I'm concerned, you're no better than the common riffraff." The nineteen year old stated firmly. "No, you're worse actually." He amended his statement. "Nothing but some filthy urchin who Baron Schwarzer witlessly brought into our fold. What that fool was thinking when he decided to take in some stray dog like you, I'll never know." The orange-haired noble sneered. "And I certainly won't just forget about you daring to lay your hands on me, no matter the amount of time that has passed." He spat with contempt. "I simply came here to speak with you, so that I may give you a piece of advice."

Rean's lack of a visible reaction, only the subtle way his form tensed as he pulled his hand back and let it return to his side giving away his negative feelings, seemed to please the older boy, at least somewhat.

"Stay out of my way. Keep your distance. I don't want to even spot you out of my peripheral vision, unless absolutely necessary. Keep your head down and do that, and everything will be fine. There won't be any need to dredge up problems from the past, as long as you steer clear. If you don't, then I might just have to finally put you in your place. Is that understood, Schwarzer?" The threat was clear, as was the generous amount of animosity he held within toward the lower ranked noble boy.

'I fricking hate the way he says my family name. As if it's the most revolting thing to ever roll off his tongue.' Rean thought bitterly to himself in that moment, a frown marring his face.

"I asked if you understood, Schwarzer?" Verrat tersely repeated himself.

"Yeah, I understand." Rean replied evenly, capitulating in spite of the fact that he wanted to do anything but. 'Last time I got involved with this guy, my family nearly paid the price. I can't afford to do anything rash like that again.' He reminded himself, squashing the urge to punch this boy, again.

"Good." Verrat said with a firm nod of his head, a self-satisfied smirk crossing his face. "Now that we understand each other, I'll be on my way." With that, the orange-haired noble turned to walk away.

After a few steps though, he came to a quick stop and spoke one last time. "Oh, and Schwarzer, try not piss off people who could wreck your whole life. It's bad for your health." It was then that he finally left the clearing, going on his way down the path back to the main school.

Rean let out a heavy sigh then, as he pinched the bridge of his nose in self-stifled aggravation. "I really can't stand that guy."

...

Unbeknownst to Rean, a little ways back and hidden behind some trees, was one Fie Claussell. And she had seen everything, with the exception of his reaction to the old schoolhouse. Fists clenched tight, she fought down the urge to follow after the orange-haired noble and beat him senseless for speaking to Rean in such a way. She had seen it done before firsthand, when a particularly high-ranked noble visited Ymir during her stay there. However, it hadn't been as bad as that, for two reasons. First, the noble hadn't been as severe, most likely because he was speaking to a child, and the second was that Rean hadn't just passively accepted the verbal abuse. He didn't snap back or anything, as that wasn't really his style, but he at least showed visible signs of anger and had clearly been upset by the treatment. Now though...he just stood there, apparently content to take whatever was thrown at him. It didn't sit well with her, not in the slightest.

Rean didn't remain unbeknownst to Fie any longer, as he suddenly said, "So I was right, you were back here.", having picked up on her presence now that he took a moment to attempt to sense her out.

Aware that she'd been found, Fie calmed herself, allowing her hands to untense and unclench, as she stepped out from behind the trees she had hidden behind.

"I'm guessing you saw all that?" Rean queried her then with a forced chuckle, able to tell she was in a sour mood, despite the neutral expression on her face.

She simply nodded her head as she walked over to him, stopping when there was only a foot worth of distance between them.

"That guy was just some jerk I met some years back at noble-centric party. We got into a fight and he's stilled pissed about it." He elucidated. "Nothing to worry about." He assured her, as he waved the whole thing off.

"You didn't have let him treat you like that." She replied simply, tone even.

"It was nothing. I'm used to it by now." He explained. "Nothing to get worked up over." He added with a small smile, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"You're not a doormat Rean." Fie told him then, a sudden edge to her voice, small as it was. "Stop letting people treat you like you are." She dictated to him, eyes meeting his.

Rean was taken aback by her words and found himself without a response. He tried to form one, but couldn't come up with anything that didn't sound like some sort of excuse. As a result, he found himself staring back at Fie, eyes locked, at a loss and completely silent.

Fie broke their locked gaze then. "I'll see you later." With that said, she walked past him, following along the path away from the clearing and back onto the main grounds of the campus, leaving Rean alone.

* * *

After the hassle with Verrat and tense moment with Fie, Rean decided he needed a little time to unwind before heading back to the dorms. And not long after that shenanigans had occurred, what with Vivi pretending to be her twin sister and tricking him into buying a grand rose and the confusion and embarrassment that caused, it didn't help that this had been the first time he'd actually introduced himself and spoke with the twin sisters, Linde and Vivi, at length. Add onto that everything with Laura and the old schoolhouse...well, needless to say, today had not been as kind to him as it could've been.

So, deciding to finally use what had been given to him, the humble swordsman went and picked up his fishing rod, before backtracking to the small dock he passed by every day when heading to school.

"I haven't been fishing in ages." The raven-haired teen remarked to himself, as he sat and began preparing his rod.

...

The swordsman had only been at it for a few short minutes, when the sound of someone speaking to him alerted him to their presence.

"Mind if I join you?"

At the request, Rean turned his head toward the person who had put it forth, to see none other than the same guy who had given him this rod in the first place, Kenneth Lakelord.

The noble-born second year wore a pleasant smile, rod in one hand and tackle box in the other, as he waited for his junior's response.

"By all means." Rean replied with a nod of his head, wearing a pleasant smile to match the older teen's.

"Thanks." With that, Kenneth sat down beside the younger boy, opening his tackle box as he prepared to ready his rod and join his fellow teen in fishing.

...

The sun was sinking low below the horizon, close to the point of being no longer visible. As such, the time was clear, late evening. This meant curfew would be in effect in roughly about an hour. Still, the two teens sat in silence as they fished, seemingly not concerned with such a thing. Not that they had a whole lot of reason to be, as their dorms were just a hop, jump and skip away, meaning they had quite a bit of leeway when it came to the time they needed to leave for said dorms.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's got you so down?" Kenneth suddenly inquired.

Besides a few trivial subjects, such as Rean's thoughts on the academy, Trista and the fishing spots located within, as well as the fact that Kenneth was the head and only member of the Fishing Club, the two teenagers hadn't spoken much. Rather, they merely fished together in silence for the majority of the time. It was because of this fact that Rean was surprised by the older boy's sudden inquiry.

"I...well, it's nothing really." Rean began, unsure of how to answer. He appreciated that someone would ask about him when he seemed not his usual self, but he hardly knew this guy and didn't quite feel like talking to him about something so personal. "Just some personal stuff. Nothing too serious though."

"I don't usually talk about anything outside of fishing or fishing related subjects, such as bait and the best spots to catch certain species. I just don't have any interest in most things besides fishing. Schoolwork, the responsibilities of nobles, the class system as a whole, all of it is just so dreadfully boring." Kenneth informed his junior. "That said, you seem like a nice enough guy. I've heard about how you've been helping out anyone who asks, and that you even saved some friend of yours from getting seriously hurt. I don't know how true the last part is, but I've personally seen you doing favors for the student council. That makes you alright in my book." The older teen told the younger teen, his smile widening a tad.

"So, I figured I'd try and help you out. Even if it was just listening to you rant about something or other. But hey, if you don't want to talk about it, far be it from me to force you to." Kenneth gave up on his short-lived attempt to coax his junior into talking with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Haha, that's kind of you." Rean said with a chuckle. "But it's not something anyone can help me with. And even if it was, I think I'd like to handle it on my own."

"Fair enough."

With that, the subject seemed to die. However, as Rean proceeded to get a bite, Kenneth kept his eyes on him, continuing to watch him for a number of moments.

"Hey, you've done this before." The Lakelord boy observed then. "Can't believe I didn't notice it before."

Finishing his catch, Rean reeled the fish in, pulled it out of the water and held it as it wriggled about. Blinking a couple times in surprise, his eyes returned to the older teen, a small feeling of bewilderment accompanying his actions. 'How could he possibly figure that out?'

"Well, I mean, yeah. I've been fishing once or twice in my life. Don't know how you could pick up on that, since it's been years since I've actually done any."

"That's a shame." Kenneth said with audible disappointment. "Any particular reason for your sparse fishing history?" He queried.

* * *

 _"Rean, Rean, let me try!" A six year old Elise exclaimed excitedly. "I can do it too! I know I can!" The little girl insisted._

 _"Okay, okay, here." Her eight year old brother gave in, handing over the fishing rod, so as to allow her the chance to try and snag a fish._

 _As the young girl tried her hand at it, Rean took a step back, putting him beside Fie, who was of a similar age to his little sister._

 _"Are you sure?" The reserved little girl questioned her friend._

 _"It's just fishing. What's the worst that could happen?" Little Rean responded with a shrug of his shoulders._

 _They were, admittedly, far along the trail leading further into the mountains away from Ymir, and fishing from a river that coursed at a pace that was nothing to scoff at. However, Rean had fished here with Teo before, and the Baron had taught his son as well as a person could in just one sitting. Because of this, the young boy was confident that everything would be fine. 'If I can do it, anyone can, right?' Was his line of thinking on the matter._

 _"Alright, if you say so." The silver-haired six year old replied._

 _"Whoa! Rean, I think I've got a big one!" Elise squealed exuberantly, something giving a big tug on the line of the fishing rod._

 _"It seems so. Hey, maybe it's the Arch Tyrant?" The eight year old boy suggested half-jokingly, having heard his father talk about such a fish before, how it was the biggest and meanest in the Ymir mountains._

 _"I don't know. But it sure seems big! Like, really big!" Elise continued on, beginning to struggle with whatever was on the other end of her line. "It-it just doesn't want to come up!" She grunted out, pulling on the rod with all her might to no avail._

 _"Here, let me help you." Little Rean offered his assistance, as he stepped toward her._

 _"Okay, thanks." His little sister vocalized her gratitude with a smile, taking one hand off the rod as she moved to give it over to him._

 _Just before he could take it from her hand though, there was another pull on the line. Pull was an inadequate description, however, as it was more akin to a mighty heave, so mighty, in fact, that it pulled the rod and the little girl holding it off her feet and right down into the running river, the young one crying out for a single moment, before underwater garbles took the noise's place._

 _"ELISE!" Rean shouted, eyes wide in shock and fear._

 _As panic and fear struck him, Fie was already at work, diving head first into the river, her intent on saving the girl all too clear._ _Rean watched, almost rooted the ground, as Fie swam after the other six year old, struggling to stay above the water, and failing miserably._

 _Garbled cries for help rang from the Schwarzer girl, as she fought to keep her head above water. She was failing, miserably. Thankfully though, she had the sense to let go of the fishing rod, so whatever it was that had pulled her in was incapable of pulling her down under. As such, Fie was able to reach her fairly quickly._

 _Elise wrapped her tiny arms around Fie's equally tiny frame, clinging onto the girl for dear life. From there, all the jaeger girl had to do was swim her way back to safety. Unfortunately, that was far easier said than done, as the current, it quickly became apparent, was too strong for her to swim against. Regardless, she tried valiantly, attempting with all she could muster to get her friend to the shore._

 _While futile, the silver-haired six year old was capable of keeping both their heads above water, preventing the worst case scenario. However, the little girl would give out eventually, that was inevitable. Still, she struggled on, in hopes of saving her friend._

 _"REAN! HE-HELP ME!" Elise continued to scream, tears rushing down her face, as she pleaded for her brother to rescue her._

 _"I'm coming!" He shouted back. "Don't worry you two, I'm coming!" He shouted once more, hoping to reassure the two, even while he was scared and freaking out._

 _Wasting no more time, he jumped in after them. As he did, it became readily apparent that Fie was the better swimmer. Which meant that, if she couldn't swim against the current and get to safety, Rean didn't have a chance in hell. Even still, he had every intention of trying. Especially as the situation quickly grew more desperate._

 _"AHHHH!" Fie cried out, as the current swept her into a wall of rock on the opposite end of where she had dove in, slamming her small body against the rockface, inflicting immense pain to the entirety of her form, and even worse, knocking her unconscious in the process._

 _"FIE, ELISE!" Rean called out their names in desperation, as he kicked his legs and swam as hard as he could, moving as fast as possible in order to reach them. Which he managed to do before they could be fully submerged, thankfully._

 _Far from over though, the horrid ordeal dreadfully continued, as now Rean was forced to attempt to swim to shore, while bringing the two younger girls along with him. An impossible task for a boy of his age and strength. That didn't stop him from trying, of course. With all the strength, effort and will he could muster, he kept the two six year olds from sinking, as he swam with all he had toward the shore. Even as his arms and legs became sore, and his stamina ran out, he continued on._

 _The current was far too strong however, and soon he found himself and the girls being dragged down by it. "No! No, no, no, no!" He chanted, as he tried to fight it. But alas, it wasn't enough. And as a result, all three children were dragged down into the rushing river, where they would surely drown. 'NO!' Was Rean's last conscious thought._

 _..._

 _The first thing Rean realized, was that his lungs were on fire. The second, was the water he began to violently choke on, his esophagus forcing it up and out of his mouth with very painful hacking and coughing. And the third, was that he was no longer under, or even in the water._

 _Vision blurry, little Rean tried to ascertain where he was, but found himself incapable, still teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, so lacked the strength to even lift his head, let alone sit up. He did realize, though, that since he wasn't currently dead, someone must have saved him. And as that conclusion was reached, the first thing that came to his mind was, 'Where are Elise and Fie? Did they save them too?'_

 _"Don't worry. Everything is going to be alright." A deep, baritone voice spoke in that moment, attempting to reassure and comfort the barely conscious eight year old._

 _It wasn't a voice the little boy recognized in the slightest, and yet, strangely, it seemed eerily familiar. Eyes moving to the source of the voice, he was able to tell, even from his spot on the ground, that it was a visibly imposing man it had come from. He was tall and muscular and wore dark clothing, aside from that, the child's vision was far too hazy to pick out any further details. "..." He attempted to speak but found nothing would come out._

 _"You're safe, as are the other two. There's no need to fret." The deep voice further reassured the small boy._

 _That was all that he really needed. And as such, little Rean proceeded to lose consciousness once more._

* * *

'To this day, I still can't recall who that man was. Or even what his face looked like.' Rean thought privately to himself. 'And when I came to, he was just gone. No one knew who he could have been or where he could have went. I really wanted to thank him...'

"Rean?"

"Yeah?" The humble swordsman responded, broken from his musings at the sound of Kenneth's voice.

"I asked if there was a reason for your sparse fishing history." The Lakelord boy repeated his question.

"No, no particular reason." Rean answered immediately this time.

"Well, you're a natural at this. You should fish more, honestly. It's a good way to relax and unwind after all." The older teen advised.

"Yeah...I suppose you're right." As he said this, his mind was clearly somewhere else.

* * *

A few hours later, after dinner had been served and everyone had adjourned to their rooms, Rean found himself standing in his instructor's room. When everyone had headed up to their rooms, he had intended to do the same. However, at the last moment, he decided he still had something to do before he turned in for the night. Which was what brought him to the older woman's room.

"Oh, I didn't expect to see you." Was Sara's casual response to his unexpected presence. "I didn't peg you as the type to sneak into a lady's room in the middle of the night." She remarked evenly. "Perhaps I had you figured wrong?" She questioned with a quirked brow, clearly attempting to tease him.

Rather than wait for his response, she simply continued. "Though, if I did think you the type to sneak into a maiden's room, I'd of assumed it'd be Fie's." She was sporting a rather mirthful grin at this point. "Honestly, I've been expecting to hear all sorts of creaking noises and wild sounds from her room for days now. And yet, no such luck." Her mirth fill grinned turn wry at her thinly veiled lewd suggestion.

Rean did his best to fight back the blush that wanted to consume his face, but failed miserably, as his cheeks were akin to tomatoes in color. Still, he kept his composure and successfully prevented himself from reacting rashly and attempting to sputter out that it wasn't like that, as his first instinct had demanded him to. He'd had some practice in doing so too, as this was far from the first time the twenty something year old had teased him. "That hardly seems appropriate for an instructor to say, don't you think?" He attempted to draw her away from such assumptions, lest she plant dirty thoughts of his childhood friend in his head. Which, he would admit, he would be quite susceptible too. He was still a teenage boy after all...

"Oh, don't go getting all stiff on me now. Your cute little reactions to my teasing are the funnest part of this job!" She exclaimed at his reaction to her teasing.

"Fie and I don't have that kind of relationship. So, I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around insinuating that we do." He bypassed that comment and addressed her previous words regarding Fie, tone rigid, as he tried his best to keep from allowing the embarrassment he felt to bleed into his tone.

"Oh, come on. What do you take me for?" Sara inquired with a good-natured chuckle. "It's pretty clear you and my charge have a pretty close and personal relationship."

"I, um, well..." Rean began, blush darkening even further, if that was possible, unsure of how to respond to that. "I mean, yeah, we're close, but not like that..."

"Oh really?" She sounded dubious about that. "You could have fooled me."

"Yeah, really." He confirmed, more confident in his answer this time.

"Is the problem that you prefer'em bigger?" She queried then with a curious tone, gesturing with her arm over her chest, implying that he desired bigger breasts on a girl than what Fie had to offer.

"Wha-what!? No!" He immediately denied such an insinuation. "Her chest is just fine-I mean, Wh-why would you even-no, you know what, forget it! That has nothing to do with anything!" He insisted ardently, still quite red-faced.

Sara burst into a fit of laughter at this reaction.

"Look, I didn't come here to be made fun of, alright!?" Rean asserted, clearly vexed by the older woman and her teasing.

"Hahaha! Okay, haha, okay, ha, fine." She acknowledged his want to return to the subject, and attempted to calm her laughing as a result. "Why did you come to my room then?" She asked him, fighting back one last giggle.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Rean took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, the red in his face beginning to fade as he calmed down. "I came here...to thank you."

"To thank me?" Sara repeated, a tad confused.

"I'm sure Fie's told you by now, how we were childhood friends."

The instructor nodded her head in confirmation at that.

"We were together only half a year, but even still...she became a major part of my life. I care about her...more than words can express. When I woke up one day and she was just gone...it hurt me so much...but worse than that, I was always worrying if she would be alright. She was always stronger than me, she still is, and yet, I couldn't help but worry about her. What if she got hurt? What if, somehow, I could have helped her, but simply wasn't there to do so? That was always on my mind..." Rean verbally expressed his anxiety on the matter. "More than that, I simply missed her. I was always wondering where she was...and when I wasn't..." The diffident swordsman trailed off in that moment, finishing the statement in his head. 'And when I wasn't, I was focusing on becoming stronger, so that I could protect Fie and Elise in the future.'

"What I'm trying to say is..." Rean picked back up. "I wasn't able to help her when she needed it. You, however, were. So..."

Rean lowered his head and, with perfect form, performed a proper bow of respect. "From the bottom of my heart, allow me to thank you for everything you've done for Fie." He vocalized his overabundance of gratitude, showing every ounce of respect possible in that moment.

Sara found herself, even if for just a single moment, without words to say in response to this boy. 'Such a sweet kid.' She thought to herself in that instant.

...

Fie stood just outside Sara's room, pressed against the door, eavesdropping on their conversation. She hadn't intended to do such a thing, but having seen Rean enter the former bracer's room, the fifteen year old found herself with a sudden insatiable curiosity of what they could possibly be talking about at this late hour. Little did she know, that she'd find herself listening to the pink-haired woman tease her childhood friend continuously, before he proceeded to unbosom himself to the instructor, about her nonetheless. And as the silver-haired girl listened to everything Rean had to say, she felt her heart swell.


	11. Heartfelt Progress

Manu259: No, no you did not. Thanks.

Well, regardless, thank you very much. I'm glad you enjoy my story so much. :)

Um...yeah, no idea who Ichika is, but I'll take your word for it. I've seen more than a few anime protagonists who are like that.

Oh, quite a bit my friend. Without a doubt, it'll be more than he did in the games, that's for damn sure. Their relationship will be a very complicated, and most likely, twisted one.

Yes, yes he does. He's here for a number of reasons, including one or two major plot ones, so don't expect him to be a throwaway character or anything. Hmm, that is a conundrum. Who is more worthy of hate and spite? Cayenne or Duke Albarea? I, personally, would probably lean more towards Cayenne, but hey, to each their own and all that.

I don't know, did he? I never said it was Osborne, but I left it vague enough that it could be him...along with almost anyone else. If it was, well, that would certainly be interesting, now wouldn't it? You're burning with curiosity aren't you? Too bad, I shall never reveal the truth. MWAHAHAHAHA! Okay, no, but seriously, you'll find out eventually. Not for a while though, not a long while or short while, just a while.

Oh yes, Nord. I have something I've been really, really looking forward to for that one. I cannot wait!

No, thank you for deigning to read and review in the first place. You, and both of my other regular reviewers, Apex85 and Heero De Fanel, are awesome! As for reading more soon, well, we'll just have to wait and see how that works out.

Heero De Fanel: Yep, it's time for that. Fair point. Oh, oh, you won't have to wait nearly that long, my friend. Read through this chapter and you'll see what I mean.

Pretty much, yeah. Most definitely, and believe me, it will not be pretty. I don't know, Machias might have some sort of meltdown if he ever met Verrat, as that guy is pompous, arrogant and snobby taken to the absolute max, as you'll find out firsthand as the story goes on. That level of pure douche might just overload him.

Guest: Yeah, he does. Will do.

Apex85: I suppose I can see that. That's a fair point, however, I do have a bit of a counterpoint on that. As small as a family as they are and as low as their rank, they are still rather important in a way, as they run in the same circle as not only the Albareas, but also the royal family. Rufus is personal friends with Teo, and Alfin is so familiar and comfortable with them that she calls Lucia 'Auntie'. That's pretty up there for a small Baron family. Combine that with how big the scandal must've been when Teo adopted Rean, well, to me at least, it seems to make sense that when someone hears the name Schwarzer, they would immediately think of the 'adoption controversy'. Not every noble would, of course, but most would, I think. As I said though, you do make a fair point.

Yeah, definitely worse.

Oh, he probably is. But, this is an Alternate Universe story, so things are bound to be different from the norm, even something like this. I have some stuff planned for Verrat, so it's not like I created him on a whim, at least. Well, that is one way to interpret what Cayenne said, another way though, would be that he feels his son is inferior to the likes of Rufus. And to back that up, Cayenne, as scummy as he is, doesn't seem like the type to put his son on a pedestal, at least not when it comes to true talent and ability presented by fellow nobility. Compared to commoners and the average noble, sure, but not with the likes of Rufus.

Was that who he was engaged to? I honestly can't remember if Machias mentioned what family his cousin's lover was being pressured to marry into. My bad. Oh shit, Cayenne has a brother huh? Didn't know that. Thankfully that's not a big spoiler, otherwise I'd be sitting in a corner now, fingers in my ears going, 'La la la la la, I can't hear you!' and all that. Can't afford anymore spoilers dammit...

Anyway, back on topic. I don't want to reveal his fate so early in the story, but I will at least tell you that if he dies, it will not be at Elise or Teo's hands. Now, I steadfastly disagree with you on Crow, though our stances are more aligned than what most other Crow supporters stances would be with yours, however, I wholeheartedly agree with you on executing Cayenne. Maybe not his family members, as it is quite possible they were not involved in the whole thing, but most definitely Cayenne. I so, so, so wanted him to die at the end of Cold Steel 2. Unfortunately, he did not. Oh well. In my version though, well... (MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)

Oh, believe me, I too agree. I don't think a loss of respect is in order, but everyone reacts to things differently, so hey, what can ya do? I wrote it out like that, as I believe it's in character for him to do. Rean has serious self-esteem issues and at least a complex or two, so people treating him, personally, like shit doesn't seem like something that would make him react in an aggressive way or anything of the like. He seems to react much more to people messing with those around him. Which, I myself, think is, for the most part, far from a bad trait. Ever heard, 'You can insult me, cover me in food and drink, hell, you can even spit on me, and I'll just laugh it off. But if you mess with my friends, you're gonna pay.' That's not the exact quote, but it's close enough. No idea if you'd like that sentiment or not.

All that aside, I do agree Rean should stand up for himself. Though it'll be awhile before he'll do that on his own, I think.

I'm not going to reveal who it was that saved Rean, Fie and Elise as children outside the narrative of this story, but this once, I will tell you who didn't save them. Ka-Fai is not the one who saved them. Who did, that's for all of you guys to speculate until I reveal the truth. That wouldn't of been a bad way to introduce him though, too bad I didn't think of it. That said, even if I had, he still wouldn't have been the one to save them, as the person that did save them, I had planned to do so from the beginning.

RedBurningDragon: Yep, someone worse than Patrick has appeared. And it's only gonna get worse. Who knows, we'll find out, won't we? Nope, that wasn't who it was. Not a bad guess though. Poor Rean indeed. And idiot...I don't think so personally, but hey, whatever.

Elia950: You and me both. I certainly understand that point of view, and agree for the most part, in fact. And you shall have it, as here is more. Oh, most definitely. And it'll only get cuter when they're actually together.

Sha-tan: I'm glad you like it so much. Completely and totally agree. No better couple than them in the entire Trails universe.

scrubsergeant: As do I. That is why I keep writing it, after all.

Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. masontag, Kazuma shu, nick0calus123, Spiraling-Dragon, FarAwayWords, Arcane Warrior Hero, Altio Niflheim, Zarathustraa, Benjamin Rrvik, Cyberix96, DarKloWn, Doc1015, Elia950, Faustian assault, , GokuTheSSJGod2, James317, LRDrummer, Logich, Merged Claressa SSJ5 Goddess, MrDerpyKid2, Skyl3lue, Vajnet, crazygamer9375, toby4480, Callisto273, CrimsonMode11, Ellis Holigard, Lucky2014, Nightingale557, hirdorwin, scrubsergeant, Straw-Hat-Crew, peace44, Tz342, omegazero2718, Tomtom2137, Darkvoidclaw, thank you!

Now then, please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT I - CHAPTER II - PART III**_

 **...**

 **Septian Calendar 1204  
** **5/26 - Wednesday**

The entirety of Class VII stood in the middle of the Academy Field, Sara adjacent to them. It was time, the second practical exam was here.

"All right, it's time for this month's practical exam." Sara announced needlessly.

"You're up to something." Fie suddenly accused, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"Now, why would you ever assume such a thing my cute little charge?" The instructor queried in an almost sing-song voice, a ghost of a mischievous grin on her face.

"Because you're more cheerful than usual. In most cases, that means bad things for us." The silver-haired teen pointed out.

Sara simply chuckled at this.

"Now I get it. For some reason or another, you're going to make things more difficult for us this time." The former jaeger suddenly concluded.

Several of the fifteen year old's classmates groaned at that.

"I guess there's no use in denying it." She conceded. "I've been given permission to make things a little harder on you guys this time around, so that's what I'm gonna do."

Another round of groans ensued at that.

"Instructor, might I ask as to the reason why the difficulty of our exam is being raised prematurely?" Emma inquired.

"Well, since you asked. It seems two individuals from our class failed to show up when it was time to report to the principal about their trip down into the Old Schoolhouse." Sara pointedly shifted her gaze to Laura and Fie then, both looking away as a result. "On top of that, the report was given nearly two hours late." She finished explaining, gaze returning to it's original position.

"Weird. He didn't seem angry when we gave our report." Elliot said to himself.

"Strange. He seemed rather understanding of the matter. He accepted our apology with a smile, after all." Gaius commented.

"I suppose he could still have thought disciplinary action was in order." Rean added, unsure.

"Even if that was true, why would he wait until now to implement said action?" Machias wondered aloud.

"Oh, you seem to have drawn the wrong conclusion. It wasn't Principal Vandyck that suggested raising the difficulty of your exams so early on." Sara corrected her students.

"Well, then who did?" Alisa asked.

"Simple; it was me." The pink-haired woman answered.

"Of course." Fie remarked with a roll of her eyes.

Jusis simply hmphed, and Machias groaned.

"Why Instructor?" Elliot asked, a little piteously, the thought of the exam being even more difficult making him wish he'd stayed in bed today.

"Once he told me how two of you neglected to report in and that said report was late, I immediately thought of two reasons why you guys might have done that. The first; that your trek into the Old Schoolhouse was more difficult than ever, and you were so wiped out that you couldn't drag yourself to his office until then, and that two of you couldn't even manage that. And the second, the complete opposite. Your jaunt down there was far too simple and easy that you were nearly bored to tears, and as such saw no need to take the whole thing seriously, at least not this time around, and as such, took your sweet time reporting in. Two of you not even bothering to do that much." Sara expounded.

"That's a load of crap, and you know it." Fie verbally rebuffed.

"Yeah, I do." The twenty something copped immediately. "However, I've been looking for an excuse to turn up the heat, at least a little, and this was the opportunity I was looking for." She explained simply. "I simply asked for permission as a formality, and Vandyck gave the go-ahead. So...that's what I'm doing." She informed them cheekily.

Almost the entirety of the class began to groan and complain in tandem at that, Laura, Emma and Gaius the outliers; remaining silent on the matter.

"Don't be like that. It's not like I plan on running you guys through the ringer...yet. I'm just going to have you guys go through a simple exercise before we get down to the real exam." She assured.

"Is that really all?" Fie questioned her mentor, clearly skeptical.

"For now. I'll be ramping it up for each month's exam until you are regularly dropping at the end of our sessions. And then I'll probably turn up the difficulty a tad more, just to be safe." She jovially apprised them.

There was a distinct lack of groaning and complaining then, the entirety of the class going silent at this. Some of them even looked unsettled by the information, Elliot, Emma and Alisa most of all.

"Now, there's no need to worry." The former bracer continued. "For now, at least, I won't be having you do anything too crazy." She reassured them. "Today, you're simply going to participate in a little redux of your original strength ranking test."

A collective groan, completely in harmony, was released from her nine students at that.

"Do we have to? I mean, I doubt any of us are all that much stronger than we were originally." Elliot opined.

"Um, Instructor, something like that isn't exactly the best thing to put us through before the practical exam. The damage we'd take could seriously impact our scores." Emma raised the most obvious concern.

"She's right. Are you trying to sabotage us?" Alisa questioned bluntly.

"I have no desire for a repeat of that day." Jusis stated.

"Honestly, I think I still might have a few bruises from that day. Sometimes it certainly feels like I do, anyway." Machias commented.

"Calm down, I don't plan on being too hard on you guys. Besides, it's not the same ranking test as before." Sara attempted to address their grievances. "I won't be using my weapons this time around."

"That doesn't comfort me much." Elliot remarked.

"So, then..." Emma started, only to be interrupted.

"Yes, that's right kiddies. It's time for some hand to hand combat." Sara confirmed with grin. "After all, you won't always have a weapon on you. You could be disarmed, taken by surprise or simply find yourself at a bar at four in the morning and accidentally let something slip you shouldn't of, and find yourself in the middle of an impromptu brawl with a bunch of drunken fu-" As she went off on her tangent, and many eyebrows were raised, she caught herself and cut it off before she said anything that could be misconstrued as inappropriate."-Ah, you know what, just forget about that last part. Just a little incident from a few years back." She abandoned her off-track rambling with a chuckle, notably unabashed.

Their was a collective sweatdrop among the entirety of Class VII in that moment.

"Disregarding that, let's get started." Sara told them, signalling that it was time for them to prepare for their 'little exercise'.

...

"See, now that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Sara questioned, only half-rhetorical.

She received several annoyed glares from her students, all of whom were holding one body part or another, nursing the beginnings of bruises. Though not verbal in their expression, their feelings on the matter were crystal clear. It hadn't been as bad as when she had used her weapons the month before...but it was still far from a pleasant experience.

All but ignoring the less than positive reaction from her charges, the former bracer continued to speak. "Now I'm sure you must be dying to know how you guys stack up against one and other; though the top couple of spots should be pretty obvious considering the showing some of you gave; I won't be giving you my full assessment until tomorrow morning." She let them know straight up.

Nods were given in response to her words, as the nine teens prepared for the actual exam coming in a few minutes. The aforementioned top spotters, Fie, Rean, Gaius and Alisa weren't too worse for ware, everything considered. They had bruises forming just as the others did, but noticeably less of them. In the end, even for the more beat up members of the class, it most likely wouldn't adversely affect their performances in the actual practical exam. This was thanks to the quite evident restraint their instructor had shown, much to their relief.

"Okay, we're done with that." Alisa stated the obvious. "So, what exactly do we need to do for this month's practical exam?" The blonde-girl inquired.

"I assume we won't simply be repeating last month's exam, correct?" Emma queried.

"Heh, you'll see." Was Sara's vague response. "Since you ask, I assume you're all ready? Good. Let's get this month's exam started, shall we?"

Without waiting for a reply, the jovial instructor called out, "Rean, Elliot, Gaius, you're up first. Please step forward."

"Right!" Rean snapped to it, stepping forward immediately.

"Uh-oh..." Elliot didn't bother trying to hide the anxiousness he felt from his name being called and what that would entail. Nevertheless, he stepped forward.

"Got it." Gaius complied without complaint, stepping forward as well.

"Alright then, here we go!" Sara exclaimed, as she raised her right arm a tad, and proceeded to snap her fingers.

In that moment, from out of nowhere, a strange metallic-looking entity seemingly 'popped' into existence, right beside the instructor. It floated roughly a foot off the ground, and shifted side to side, over and over again, in a seemingly endless fluid series of motion. The contraption was bizarre looking and oddly shaped; it's exterior a mix of purple, red and black coloring. It lacked anything even remotely resembling limbs, being comprised of a simple long bent-looking cylinder, with shoulder pads connected where it's arms should relatively be located.

"What is that?!" The diffident swordsman asked with surprise.

"A-A monster?!" The timid violinist squeaked with shock and a fair measure of fear.

"No...I'm not sensing any life coming from it at all." The soft-spoken nord refuted such an assumption.

"That's right. Think of it like a scarecrow. Only, it's a moving scarecrow...I guess. Either way, it's not alive." The ever-merry instructor elucidated. "I've set it's parameters fairly high. Higher than I had originally planned, in fact. Due mostly to Group A's run in with the giant monster known as Grunoja, and their subsequent slaying of it; as well as the injuries they sustained from that monster." She illuminated her reasoning; the point being that she now thought she could push them further than she had once assumed. "And I maybe, perhaps, sort of turned it up as a little bit of payback for Group B forcing me to travel all the way back to Parm because they couldn't behave themselves." She added with a murmur at the last second, speaking more to herself than anyone present.

Nevertheless, they heard it. "Hey! We heard that!" Alisa and Machias let her know, their irritation worn out on their sleeves.

"Typical." Fie remarked with a roll of her eyes.

Jusis simply scoffed.

"As I was saying, this thing is formidable. But if you give it your all, I'm confident you can beat it!" The playful teacher encouraged. "Well, most of you anyway." She offhandedly remarked.

"Oh yeah, that's real reassuring." Alisa commented with an eye-roll, clearly becoming vexed with the older woman.

"Oh boy." Emma sighed.

"I really didn't need to hear that." Elliot groaned.

"Make good use of your ARCUS' combat link abilities, for example, and even if there's a strength gap, you should be able to overcome it with ease! Hint, hint." Sara openly intimated.

Before any of the teens had a chance to say anything in regard to that, the twenty-something spoke once more. "It's time. All right, begin!"

...

The exam over, at least for the first group, the three teenagers put their weapons away.

"We won." Gaius stated pleasantly.

"Y-Yeah, we did. We really did. I can hardly believe it..." Elliot voiced his amazement at how well they did; panting rather heavily, clearly wiped from his efforts to assist in victory.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." Sara complimented them as she clapped, clearly pleased by their performance. "Excellent use of combat links, too. Seems like the practice you've been getting in the old schoolhouse is paying off. Let's see if that holds true for all of you."

With that, the three teens stepped away, falling back in line with the others.

"Alright, on to the second group!" The former bracer announced. "Machias, Emma, Jusis; come forward."

Almost instantly, Machias and Jusis were busy complaining about being put into the same group. However, they did still comply, as they stepped forward and drew their weapons; Emma doing the same.

"Ugh. Let's just get this over with!" The bespectacled boy grumbled.

"Hmph. I don't need you telling me what to do." The reserved noble boy replied with attitude.

"Wh-What was that?!" Machias queried with aggravation.

"Um, guys? I know you're always at odds because of your opposing dispositions...but could you please try and work together this time?" Emma asked of them as polite as can be. "Otherwise...I'm not sure we'll be able to pass this exam."

The bespectacled girl's words went mostly ignored, as the two looked ready to continue to bicker on.

"Yes, yes, you hate each other, we get it." Sara's casual dismissal of their grievances with one and other usually wouldn't go over well, but seeing as they were about to engage in a practical exam, the teens opted to simply turn away from one and other and focus on the task at hand.

"Are you all ready?" The pink-haired instructor asked them, to make sure.

The three nodded their heads in confirmation.

"Okay, begin!"

...

Machias and Jusis were having trouble staying upright, heavily slouched; their labored breathing extremely audible in the silence that consumed the class. Emma, on the other hand, was down on her knees, breathing even more raggedly than her partners were. Needless to say, the exam was over for them. And as to how they did...

"That was an absolutely abysmal performance." Sara admonished the three, a ghost of a frown present on her face. "You failed to even eek out a minor victory. The three of you, in no uncertain terms, have failed this month's practical exam." She bluntly informed them.

"Great teamwork Albarea." Machias began, tone oozing sarcasm, as he turned his head toward the object of his ire. "You really showed that team spirit; when you nearly took my damn head off with that last swing!" He castigated the noble.

"I know you're not trying to put this on me." Jusis started his response, eyes meeting his classmate's. "It was you, Regnitz, that acted as nothing more than a detriment the entire time. Your timing was completely off, you missed your shots more often than not; and to top it off, you refused to back me up when I attempted to get in close." He rebuked the class vice-president. "If you had simply followed my lead-"

"And why, exactly; must you be the one to lead!?" The bespectacled boy snapped back. "You are not the de-facto leader, you pompous ass!" He spat with contempt. "Despite what your family and any sycophants you surround yourself with might have led you to believe, it's not all about you!"

"That is not what I meant, and you know it." The blonde boy replied tersely, eyes narrowing, clearly aggravated by his fellow teen's words.

"Here we go again." Emma sighed heavily, as she got up off the ground and back to her feet; putting her orbal staff away as she did.

"Quit with your bickering!" Sara suddenly exclaimed, tone harsh; getting the squabbling teens to pay attention. "The blame falls on both your shoulders! It was not the fault of one or the other, your team failed because of both of you, end of story. Something that could have been avoided, if you two would simply cooperate. However, for some reason or other, the ability to do so seem to elude you." She reprimanded the boys.

Said boys could do little else than stare, speechless, dumbfounded at their homeroom teacher's shift in attitude.

As the instructor gave the two a small dressing-down, Rean found himself nearly lost for words. 'This is the first time I've ever heard her speaking so harshly. Almost...like a teacher!' He thought to himself, genuinely surprised by it.

"It does seem like combat links are the key to fighting that thing effectively." Emma stated then, speaking more to herself than anyone else, clearly bothered by the fact that her team had failed.

"That is one hundred percent correct Emma." Sara confirmed this as fact, shifting instantaneously back into the jovial, carefree tone she usually used; now that she was done admonishing the bickering teens.

"That is rather unfortunate." Jusis commented, as he put his saber away. Machias doing the same with his gun, although silently.

"Alright, that's enough of that. You three scoot, it's time for the final group." The pink-haired woman sent the three aside, the teens complying without a word; before calling the names of the last team."Laura, Alisa, Fie; you're up."

Fie and Laura glanced at each other as their names were called, their uncertainty about teaming together out in open for all to see. Any attempts to hide the tension between them were all but gone at this point, as everyone in class knew, the two girls were all too aware of that. Nevertheless, in spite of their hesitance, they stepped forward just as Alisa did.

"You ladies ready?" Sara queried.

"Mm." Was Fie's simple confirmation; drawing her twin gun-swords.

"Yes, Instructor." Laura said, to the point; drawing her bastard sword.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." Alisa said noncommittally; drawing her orbal bow.

"Okay, begin!"

...

"I'll admit, I did not expect it to go like that." Gaius commented.

"I knew they were having a similar problem to Machias and Jusis, but I didn't realize it was this bad." Emma remarked, surprised by the outcome.

"For being the two most capable warriors in our class, that was a spectacularly underwhelming showing." Jusis opined.

"They're crazy strong, so I didn't think I'd ever see those two struggle so much. And yet..." Elliot trailed off, concern evident in his voice.

"I guess we should have seen this coming, what with what happened in the old schoolhouse." Machias added, his concern matching his orange-haired friend's.

'Fie and Laura were nearly completely out of sync. Hell, they all but tripped over each other a handful of times. Their coordination was barely better than Machias and Jusis' was.' Rean had observed, recounting the skirmish in his mind. "It's hard to believe they only performed marginally better than Machias, Jusis and Emma did." The swordsman said to himself.

"Th-That was way tougher th-than I thought it would be..." Alisa admitted aloud between pants; struggling to stand.

As Fie and Laura put their weapons away, their dissatisfaction regarding the outcome of the battle was openly shown; both girls frowning, disappointment written all over their faces. While they clearly didn't feel the same exhaustion their third member did, it was clear the battle had been just as taxing for them; simply not in a physical manner.

"I knew this was going to be a struggle, but I had no idea your performance would be so...unremarkable." Sara stated, her own disappointment worn out on her sleeve; her tone having lost it's jovial nature once more. "You passed, but only just." She informed them with a shake of her head, as she raised her arm and snapped her fingers once more; on command, the metallic entity simply popped out of existence.

"All it would have taken was one additional misstep, another minute to achieve victory, hell, just about anything could have changed that pass to a failure. And as unfortunate as it is, you don't get even that much in a real battle. Needless to say, if this had been an actual combat situation, you three would surely be dead." The twenty-something woman bluntly disclosed this fact.

The entirety of the class was silent at this sudden turn, the mood shifting to an almost grim atmosphere, even if it was just for a few, short moments. "The same, of course, goes for the three of you." She continued, looking toward group two, catching the eyes of Machias and Jusis in particular. "I may not have said it aloud, but the ramifications of your failure would have cost you your lives." She enlightened them. "I didn't think it necessary to point that out when you failed, now though, what with a near failure following your performance up, I feel it would benefit you, all of you, to simply lay it out in the open." She expounded. "In short, shape up, or I'll have to personally whip you into shape." She finished, much more serious than they had ever seen her before.

Machias and Jusis couldn't help but turn their heads at this, unable to meet their instructor's eyes. Laura was similar, as her eyes found their way to the ground, unable to pull them away from her feet, as their groups were read the riot act. Alisa and Emma couldn't help but fidget nervously, as while they hadn't been called out personally like the others, they could not help but feel they had played at least a minor part in the atrocious performances. Fie was the only one of the six to not shy away from Sara's disapproving gaze. And as was usual for her, she remained almost completely stoic; her frown having already faded by this point, all but stone-faced in the face of this.

Because of this weighty atmosphere that had been so suddenly established, the students experienced what amounted to mental whiplash what with how fast Sara proceeded to become lighthearted and jovial once more. "And despite how a private lesson with me might sound like a dream come true, what with getting to spend alone time with the bombshell that is me, let me assure you, it'd be hell for you." Sara assured them with a borderline flirtatious smile and wink.

And just like that, the entire class proceeded to sweatdrop; while the most affected of them, Rean, Elliot, Machias and Alisa, nearly face-planted from the sheer ridiculousness of their teacher.

"You have got to be kidding me." Jusis remarked with a heavy sigh.

"Can you, just for once, be serious for more than five minutes!?" Machias questioned with exasperation; straightening up from nearly falling over as he did.

"You were actually acting like a teacher for once! Then you had to go and ruin it!" Alisa complained with irritation.

"She totally had us going. We were so sure she was finally being straight-laced with us, and then she goes and throws us for a loop yet again." Gaius stated, easily the least flustered of the nine; tied with Fie in that regard.

"I give up at this point. I can't ever tell when she's being for real or not." Elliot admitted, sounding mentally exhausted.

"It's a quality that...makes her unique, at least." Emma said then, attempting to find the positive in their teacher's behavior.

"I am...unsure of how to respond when she does this. It is vexing at times." Laura shared her feelings on the matter; tone even.

"Saw it coming, and yet I'm still annoyed." Fie commented, bored by her mentor's antics.

Rean simply pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance as he shook his head.

"Oh come now, don't be like that. All work and no play makes for dull boys and girls! Not everything has to be super serious all the time! Lighten up!" Sara urged her students with a smile.

Alas, not one of them seemed to be in agreement with her on this; the nine simply staring blankly at her at this point.

"Oh fine, be a bunch of sourpusses. See if I care." She dismissed their lack of agreement immediately; with a simple wave of her hand. "Moving on, this-"

"Actually Instructor, if I may, I'd like to ask a question." The well-spoken swordswoman spoke up, unintentionally cutting the older woman off.

"Sure, by all means."

"What exactly was that...marionette we just fought?" The blue-haired noble inquired.

"Y-Yeah, that thing was weird!" The blonde bowwoman added.

"A machine, maybe? Never seen anything else like it." The silver-haired former jaeger gave her two cents.

"Oh...just a little something I got roped into working with awhile back." The pink-haired teacher told them. "I'd rather not use it if I don't have to, but I can't deny it serves a valuable function. And it's rather customizable too." She divulged. "I mean, it did its job quite well during our test, didn't it? So there you go!"

'I get the feeling there's a whole lot she'd rather not tell us...' Rean thought to himself, as the twenty-something woman evaded the heart of the question.

"Anyway, as I was saying, this concludes today's practical exam. Next, I'll be announcing the details of this weekend's field study." Sara moved the conversation along to an entirely different topic, one important enough to get those curious to let the question go. "Each of you, please come forward and take one of these."

...

The nine students did as their instructor bid, taking the envelopes and opening them up, reading the papers within them. Just as the previous month, they disclosed where they would be going, Group A to Bareahard; the Verdant City, and Group B to Saint-Arkh; the Old Capital. They also laid out who would be in each group. Group A consisted of Rean, Fie, Laura, Machias and Jusis, while Group B was made up of Alisa, Gaius, Elliot and Emma.

"These assignments..." Rean began, only to trail off.

"Bareahard and Saint-Arkh...both very well-known cities here in the Empire." Gaius stated simply.

"Bareahard's the capital of the Kreuzen Province in the east, right?" Elliot requested confirmation.

"Yeah." Alisa gave it to him. "And Saint-Arkh is the capital of Sutherland in the south." She added.

"Two provincial capitals. They seem like fair choices." Laura commented.

"I guess they are, but..." Emma started.

"That's the least of our worries." Fie finished for her.

Fie and Laura proceeded to uneasily glance at each other then, both girls clearly and openly uncomfortable with the groupings.

"Is this some kind of sick joke!?" Machias exclaimed incredulously. "Instructor, what are you trying to prove?!" The bespectacled teen demanded of the twenty-something woman; turning to face her directly. "Do you have some sort of personal vendetta against us or something?!" He questioned, quite visibly nettled.

"For a change, I agree with him. This is ludicrous." Jusis concurred; aggravated. "I refuse to accept these group allocations. Change them at once." He enjoined.

"I don't know, they seem pretty perfect from where I'm standing." Sara rebuffed. "Besides, you're from Bareahard, so putting you in Group A was a no-brainer!" She explained to the blonde one of the boys.

Said blonde simply hmphed at this.

Pointedly looking toward Fie and Laura then, Sara continued. "As for you two...I don't even think I need to say anything, do I?"

"No, Instructor." Laura replied respectfully.

Fie just shook her head in a negatory fashion.

"If he needs to be in Group A, then put me in group B!" Machias argued; gesturing toward Jusis as he did. "I'm not thrilled at the thought of going to Saint-Arkh either, but it's better than gallivanting off to HIS hometown!" He contended. "Besides, everyone knows Bareahard is like a breeding ground for nobles and their dusty old ideas. The place is crawling with them!"

"Well, I can't deny that." Their instructor conceded. "Especially since that's exactly why I put you in Group A to begin with!" She blatantly apprised.

Opening his mouth to protest further, Machias found he could only sigh heavily. Closing his eyes, he lifted his glasses and began rubbing the bridge of his nose in unvented frustration.

"Um...Instructor Sara." Rean suddenly cut in; gaining her attention.

"Oh? Whatever is the matter, my beloved pupil?" She queried in a sing-song tone; giving him her full focus.

"Please don't call me that." Eyes narrowed in an accusatory manner, with a dubious tone to match; he went on. "I have no objections to our destination or the arrangement of the groups...but I can't quite shake the feeling I'm being used." The swordsman reckoned. "Again." It was evident; by the concise and measured way that was added to his statement, not to mention the shred of bite contained within; that he knew what she was up to, putting him in Group A.

Rean's classmates were all more than a little shocked by his reaction to their instructor. If they only knew of the endless teasing he had endured from her a few nights ago, then they'd understand where this sudden new attitude in regards to her came from. Fie being the exception, was of course less affected, not to say she was exempt from it. However, she at least knew where he was coming from, thus making it somewhat less surprising overall.

"It is kind of suspicious that the one person in our class who's had some of our Instructor's duties...uh, 'shifted', onto to his plate; is the one to be put into a group like that." Alisa observed.

"Being the odd man out in a five person group, what with the other four being in perpetual conflict with each other; that's more than just a case of simple bad luck." Gaius pointed out.

"He's literally being dropped into the source of all our potential and current problems as a class; regarding future field studies, at least." Emma noted.

"Well, it's hard to argue with that..." Elliot agreed.

Rather than attempt to quell this, technically, unspoken accusation, or even wave it off as some sort of nonsensical preconception; Sara simply looked away, putting her arms behind her head in a casual manner, and began to whistle; all in an attempt to appear nonchalant.

Yet again, the ridiculous nature of their instructor caused the entire class, minus Rean in this instant, to sweatdrop.

"That innocent whistling isn't fooling anyone." Rean snarked, clearly not willing to entertain her antics any longer.

Unbeknownst to the others around her; too preoccupied with Rean's sudden shift in attitude; a grin formed on Fie's face in that moment. 'Looks like he's finally loosening up a bit.'

"Okay, enough of that, back to the matter at hand." Sara suddenly stated, tone dismissive as she returned her gaze to her students, as she attempted to slip out of the corner she had just been painted into with their statements and observations. "I'm no army officer, so I'm not about to go telling you guys that my orders are absolute and such. That's much too military for my liking." Her voice took on a somewhat more serious tone then, getting her students to drop the subject for the moment. "But I am your instructor. And it's my duty to look out for your best interests. Which, I feel, is exactly what I'm doing here." Despite all her zaniness and silliness, she seem to be genuinely sincere in that sentiment.

"So if any of you have any objections..." She continued, pausing for slight dramatic effect, "...then how about you try to make me listen to them by force?" She laid this challenge at their feet; a mischievous grin worn openly on her face.

Rean sighed heavily at this. "No thanks. I don't feel like having my ass handed to me, thank you very much."

"I'll pass." Fie replied immediately.

"I shall abstain." Laura responded simply.

"I'm fine. No need for that." Elliot quickly assured, visibly distressed at the thought of doing battle with their instructor.

"I have no grievances." Gaius stated simply.

"No objections from me." Alisa said.

"I think the groupings were well-intentioned, so I'm okay with them." Emma put forth.

Machias and Jusis, both taken aback for a moment at the thought of attempting to do battle with Sara, remained silent for a time. Glancing toward one and other, feelings none too kind or amicable in their expressions, their distaste for each other posed a serious threat in winning out over their own instincts of self-preservation. After a minute or so of silent debate though, the two came to their answers.

"To attempt to do battle with you would be monumentally foolish on my part, and I shall not made a fool of twice. Therefore, I have no choice but to begrudgingly accept your decision on the matter, ludicrous as it might be." Jusis reasoned.

"I'd be a idiot to try and take you on, even with backup. You've made it quite evident that we'd stand no chance. I'll do as I'm expected as a student of Thors Military Academy, but that's it. That is the only reason I'm going to put up with this farce of an attempt to get Albarea and I to cooperate." Machias rationalized.

With that, the two made a point of turning in opposing directions, so as to avoid locking gazes in any instance.

"Aww. What a let down." Sara complained with a sigh, a pout forming on her face. "I was really hoping your male pride would force you to accept my offer. This sucks."

It was only because of all her ludicrous behavior up till this point that kept her students from sweatdropping yet again.

"Oh well, there's always next time." She quickly consoled herself, before returning to her usual manner. "Alright then! Since that's been decided, Group A and Group B will be heading to their destinations this weekend as planned. Good luck, everybody!" Her swift turnaround in demeanor was almost expected at this point, so it didn't hit the nine teens as much. "I'll be expecting souvenirs!" She added jovially with a wink and a tad of a wave, showing they were done here.

Machias grumbled, Elliot muttered, and Jusis hmphed, aside from that, no words were spoken as the class fell out of line and began to leave the field.

...

Sara watched them leave, taking a moment to notice one of them was specifically holding back so as to speak with her. "Need something, Fie?" She asked of her young charge, her full attention now on her.

"Yeah, I think it's about time I got my grappling hook back." She replied flatly, almost accusatory.

The pink-haired instructor couldn't help but chuckle at this.

* * *

 _"If...if it wasn't for me, that day wouldn't have happened."_

 _"What do you know?!"_

 _"Instead of trying to put everything in its place, why don't you just...go with the flow, for a change? It seems like you're desperately trying to find...'something'...but if you don't plant yourself somewhere, you're just going to blow away with the next big gust that comes along."_

...

 _Eyes the color of blood, hair the shade of steel, a young man stood, a dark aura flowing all around him. Bathed in life essence, it covered almost every single inch of his form. From his hair matted forehead; sticky with the crimson liquid, to his dripping hands, the substance was everywhere._

 _..._

 _"I was all alone and had nowhere else to go."_

 _"Why have you chosen to hold back?"_

 _"I'm nothing special though."_

 _"Why did you take up the path of the sword?"_

 _"To protect someone."_

...

 _Anger. Rage. Fury. This is all he knew._

 _Kill. Destroy. Slaughter. This is all he desired to do._

 _..._

 _"And I...I don't ever want something like that to happen again."_

 _"I still want to protect you, no matter what."_

...

 _Red..._

 _Muscles twitching in anticipation, fingers popping as his hands waited at the ready, the young man, no, the monster, the demon, prepared to hunt._

 _..._

 _"You...you've changed too."_

 _"People change. No one remains the same forever."_

 _"As far as I can tell, you're not...entirely there."_

...

 _The color red...i_ _t was everywhere..._

 _..._

 _"Could it be...that you're lost?"_

 _"You're not all here. Until you have come to grips with what you're missing, you will never be capable of progressing further."_

...

 _Stalking forward, he trudged through blood-soaked snow, on the prowl for his next kill. Legs ever moving, he left the cadaver of his latest victim behind, the mangled corpse of no interest to him now that there was no longer any life contained within._

 _..._

 _"Still, maybe I could stand to learn a lesson or two from you."_

 _"Perhaps you should consider those words yourself."_

 _"Nothing but some filthy urchin who Baron Schwarzer witlessly brought into our fold. What that fool was thinking when he decided to take in some stray dog like you, I'll never know."_

 _"You didn't have to let him treat you like that."_

 _"You're not a doormat Rean."_

...

 _The twisted visage of one Rean Schwarzer, his teeth bared, a gaze of pure murderous intent, his body bathed in red; it was quite the sight to behold. One that could strike fear into almost anyone's heart._

 _..._

 _"Rean, you shouldn't bottle things up. It isn't good for you. Don't do it anymore, okay?"_

 _"Violence is always a last resort! A man so quick to resort to violence is nothing short of a ticking time-bomb! With time, it will become his one and only answer, until he can do nothing but inflict harm! A man like that is nothing more than a monster!"_

...

 ** _The blood was everywhere..._**

* * *

 **5/27 - Thursday**

Rean woke with a start, shooting up in his bed and nearly falling out of it as a result; eyes as wide as dinner plates; breath escaping him in the form of panting. He was soaked in sweat, adrenaline coursing through him as his mind tried to reconcile his nightmare with where he was now, it taking several moments for it to process that he was back in his room at the Class VII Dormitory. Once that had clicked, he was able to begin catching his breath. Even still, that didn't mean that all the effects of the dream were so easy to shake off...

There had been so much blood...

"I'm fine." He told himself, in an attempt to calm his racing heart, as he brushed his hair back, clearing it off his forehead; having been there in the first place because of matting to it due to sweat. "It's fine. Just a nightmare. Nothing more." He reasoned with himself.

Heart rate starting to settle and return to a normal pace, Rean gave a heavy sigh. It wasn't time to get up, he already knew that, didn't even need to check. Which meant he had a while before school was supposed to start, and needless to say, after that, he wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep. He was up for the day, end of story. Ergo, he now had some time to kill.

"Damn it."

...

Even after bathing and changing into his uniform, Rean still found himself with a good hour or so before the bell was to ring. 'What to do with that time...?' He wondered to himself.

It was early morning, so it was more than likely that the only ones awake at this time were the faculty, minus Sara of course, and the truly early risers among the student body. 'It's still too early to visit the library, besides, I don't really feel like studying right now. I could head over to the student union building and get some breakfast, but...while I could definitely use some, I can't honestly say I have an appetite at the moment. Not after that nightmare...' As the diffident swordsman pondered what to do with this free-time, it became clear to him there was only really one productive task he felt he could do at the current moment in time. "Training it is." He decided aloud.

Passing by the dorm's mailboxes, Rean opened the door and exited the dorm.

...

Little did he know, so caught up in his thoughts and attempts to shake off the nightmare, that someone had caught sight of him as he left the dorms. It was only a brief second they saw him, having just started descending the stairs to the first floor themselves, but that single moment was all they required to know who it was they saw.

"Rean..." Fie spoke her childhood friend's name aloud, though quietly enough to where she was the only one who could possibly hear it.

...

Following behind Rean, Fie closed the door to the Class VII dorm ever so quietly, so as to not alert anyone out and about Trista to her presence. That said, there weren't too many people to alert in the first place, as she soon realized; able to pick out everyone in the area rather swiftly. 'Rean, Dolly, Jane and...' The silver-haired girl couldn't help but frown, as she ascertained the identity of the fourth person, excluding her, present out in Trista at the moment.

Directly in Rean's path toward the church, the other two dorms and school grounds, the only possible path he could take, stood one Verrat Cayenne. And when said noble laid eyes on the diffident swordsman, his demeanor visibly shifted, a smile he'd been sporting vanishing, and a more neutral expression taking it's place. At the same time, the black-haired teen noticed him in turn, and let out a visibly heavy sigh. Opting to avoid conflict, he kept his head down and attempted to pass the older teen without initiating any conflict, clearly doing his best to adhere to the dictation that'd been laid out to him four days prior.

Wasn't hard to figure out what was about to transpire. Which is exactly why Fie's frown quickly deepened, changing into a scowl.

Just as she predicted, Rean came to a stop as Verrat stepped to him, disdain rapidly becoming visible in the noble's visage, scowl having formed the moment the younger of the two lowered his head. He was clearly feeling affronted at not only Rean's presence, but his attempt to avoid acknowledging him at all. Forcing herself to stay back, she simply watched as the two parties exchanged words, it soon becoming clear that her friend was once more just taking whatever verbal abuse the older boy was throwing at him.

'If he won't stand up for himself, then I sure as hell will.' She thought hotly in that moment, moving forward to intercede. Decision to stay back be damned.

...

"Furthermore Schwarzer, you should learn to pay respect to your betters. Anytime someone with as much prestige as I crosses your path, you had best-" Verrat found himself interrupted in that moment, as another voice spoke up.

"Rean-"

"Whoa, tone down all that self-importance. It's so damn thick, I'm choking on it man." Came the voice of another male, cutting Fie off entirely and beating her to the punch of interjecting and assisting Rean.

All eyes of those involved shifted to the new voice then, to see Crow there, having just walked right up into the middle of the situation, a mirthful grin present on his face, clearly amused at the light innuendo he himself had just used.

"Crow?" Rean and Fie said then in unison, both in surprise, though for very different reasons. Rean, because the white-haired teen was butting in; Fie, because yet again, he had managed to sneak up on everyone, her included, without anyone taking notice or sensing him at all. "Fie?" Rean proceeded to speak her name as well, realizing she was there as well.

"Sup, Rean-Boy." Crow greeted his junior.

"Why are you still calling me that?" The black-haired youth queried, focus diverting from Fie back onto Crow. "I'm not much younger than you-what am I saying, that's not important now." The diffident swordsman corrected himself. "What are you doing?"

"What, you don't like that one either? Alright then, Rean-Meister it is." The red-eyed teen decided. "Oh, hey there Fi-Fi." Crow greeted the silver-haired girl, having just noticed her presence.

"Call me that again and I'll-" She started immediately, eyes narrowing in aggravation at that horrid nickname.

"Whoa, okay, no need to finish that threat. I got ya. No nicknames for you." He conceded to her wishes immediately. 'Not yet, anyway.' He thought wryly.

"Okay, enough of this bafoonery! Who the hell are you two!?" Verrat demanded, clearly even more upset than before.

That outburst was the first time that Dolly and Jane's attention was drawn to the scene, but taking notice of the fact that it was four teens in a bunch, they dismissed it as nothing serious and went about their business, while the two teens being yelled at in the first place, opted to answer the spoiled noble.

"Crow's the name."

"Fie."

"And why, exactly, have you two been so presumptuous as to think you were allowed to interrupt me?" Verrat questioned them, his pomposity worn openly.

Both teens he was addressing quirked their brows in perfect unison at that, their shared sentiment all too evident. 'Really, dude?'

They didn't verbalize said sentiment, but it was perceived regardless. "I'll have you know that I am the son of-" The orange-haired noble began, clearly bothered by their disregard, only to be cut off once more.

"Ah, stop right there. Let me assure you, who's son you are doesn't matter to me in the slightest." Crow informed him.

"I can't say I give a damn either." Fie added bluntly.

"W-Wh-What!? Who in the hell do you think you are!? Common riffraff such as yourselves have absolutely no right to speak to someone of my stature in such a manner!" Verrat exclaimed with offense, more than a little angry.

The lack of reactions the two gave at that, only fueled the metaphorical fire of the Cayenne heir's ire. And as that ire built, he came to realize exactly who he was speaking to, which in turn actually cooled his ire to a degree. Why? Because he now had more than his title to throw around...

"Hmph. I know who you two are now. Two as lowly as you, it makes sense why you'd gravitate toward one as pathetic and worthless as Schwarzer here." He began, before addressing Crow specifically. "The good-for-nothing, moronic miscreant Armbrust. Your grades are the most pitiful in the entire school, and that is the kindest thing I could possibly say about a louse such as yourself. It's a wonder you even got into this school, what with your IQ only being a few short points away from retardation." The nineteen year old noble spat with venom toward the bandanna wearing youth.

Only to quickly switch his focus onto Fie. "And you, you're that jaeger girl, yes? How did a little barbarian such as yourself get in? Threaten some of the faculty? I've no doubt you've the nature of a savage, and would have no problem doing as such. You killed who knows how many for a simple pittance, what's a little bit of extortion? Or did they take pity on you, you poor uneducated plebeian? Your unsophisticated presence is nothing more than a vulgar stain on this prestigious school's reputation, you know that, don't you?"

Crow and Fie took these insults rather well, the former shaking his head in amusement, while the latter just stared back at the one throwing them, stonefaced. Normally, the mention of her killing would get more of a reaction out of her, but coming from someone like this...it lacked almost the entirety of the sting that usually accompanied such words.

Rean on the other hand, unbeknownst to the other three, was currently gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, in an attempt to prevent himself from verbally, and more than likely physically, lashing out at the noble-born punk. And as Verrat finished spouting off at the mouth about Fie, the humble swordsman had heard enough.

"Excuse me, I've gotta go." And with that, the dark-haired youth all but forced himself past Verrat, continuing on his way down the path leading to the school grounds.

Rean leaving in such a manner left Fie a little confused, while Crow's response to his actions were simply to call out, "Alright, see ya on the flipside Rean-Meister."

The Cayenne heir on the other hand, went silent after he was forcefully brushed past by, who he perceived, as his inferior. Completely flabbergasted, he was rendered speechless, he could only stare after the diffident swordsman with a dumbfounded look plastered on his face. So indignant he was, almost all motor-function failed him. "How dare..." He breathed out furiously, but found he could bring himself to do nothing more than just that.

Even as Crow went about his business, and Fie made to follow after Rean, Verrat stood there, only just starting to seethe.

* * *

With no one else around, Rean was the sole human occupying the academy field this early in the morning. He stood dead-center in the grassy area, focused solely on his movements, performing the practice katas Master Ka-Fai had taught him, over and over again, in an attempt to improve his form and reaction time.

The results of such training were rather paltry, even still, the diffident swordsman found himself incapable of performing any other task than this. His mind was far from clear, and his heart was filled with conflicting emotions. His entire being was a haze, yet...that wasn't far from his normal state. 'It never does take much to put me off-balance like this...it's entirely too simple a task. My own mind does it to me more often than not; dredge up a few bad memories and it's done, easy as that. A nightmare will do the job just as well.' He thought to himself, self-deprecatingly; scowl forming on his face. 'Want me to lose some of the control I've worked so hard to create and maintain? Just throw a few hard facts my way, remind me of my weakness, remind me of my inadequacies, remind me just how unworthy I am to bear the Schwarzer name! It isn't hard!' His train of thought continued, moving ever along the tracks of self-denigration.

After one particularly strong swing, Rean halted his movements. Closing his eyes and taking a moment to inhale deeply, before taking a step back and exhaling. "That's enough of that. Calm down." He told himself aloud, taking another moment to correct his breathing and stance; his scowl fading from existence.

'Why am I so unsettled?' He wondered to himself in that moment. 'Is it really because of Verrat? No, that can't be it, I've dealt with assholes like him before; I'm used to their crap. As for the nightmare...well, I admit the nightmares always get to me, but never to this extent. So why am I so agitated?' He contemplated. 'He did sink as low to insult Crow and Fie, without even knowing a damn thing about them, and I can't lie, that made me far more angry than what he had to say about me. But that's no excuse...not for the urge to break his damn nose that I had, at least.' He mentally dictated to himself.

Eyes still shut, images and accompanying sensations came, unbidden, to forefront of the young man's mind.

 _His arms, they felt like lead, so very heavy...as if they would drag him down with how much they weighed._

 _Hands warm, unnaturally so, heated by the fresh blood soaking through his gloves._

 _Vision tainted red, and yet, the crimson liquid only covered one of his eyes._

 _Hate, rage, bloodlust...they were all he could feel, all he could possibly comprehend._

 _The blood was everywhere..._

Rean's eyes snapped open in that instant; shaking his head clear of such images, banishing them from his mind's eye, he couldn't help but grimace. "Control yourself. You shouldn't be thinking about violence so casually..." He chastised himself aloud. "Not with 'that' power hiding inside me. Who knows what could set it off again..." The diffident swordsman continued, speaking out loud in his solitude. 'Remember what Dad said...'

* * *

 _A thirteen year old boy; mop of orange hair atop his head; lie unconscious on the ground, blood leaking from what was likely a broken nose. The moment he'd hit the floor, all the merriment came to a screeching halt, the sound of several loud gasps filling the sudden silence._

 _Servants aplenty came rushing over, checking on the boy, to see if he was alright, if he was conscious, how hurt he was. As they did, it didn't take more than a moment for almost the entirety of the room to turn their gazes towards the one who had put the teen on the floor in the first place. Their stares held a number of different emotions, however, they all shared a similar sentiment. Anger, shock, disgust, they were all negative and disapproving._

 _"How dare he strike the young master!?" One of the servants not attending the unconscious noble spoke harshly; although low enough to not be heard by the entire room._

 _"The son of a mere baron dare to lay hands on the Cayenne heir? How absurd!"_

 _"Who does he think he is? He isn't even a real noble."_

 _"Street-rats such as him have no place amongst the nobility."_

 _"This is how the filthy urchin acts when we so graciously allow his kind into our fold!? Such revolting behavior!"_

 _The hushed, and not so hushed, whispers of the other nobles reached the eleven year old Rean's ears, as well as Elise's. "No, he was picking on my sister! He was calling her awful names! He-" The young boy attempted to defend his actions, only to be interrupted by another voice, this one much louder than the whispers surrounding him._

 _"Teo Schwarzer, control your son! If you can't, than I will!" Duke Cayenne commanded and warned the Baron in that order, making his presence known._

 _Teo didn't need such things to be spurred into action, as he had already crossed the entirety of the room, and proceeded to snatch his son by the arm, and drag him to a more secluded area, one closed off for the party. Thus, his wife, who had been following behind, was left to deal with their daughter._

 _..._

 _"What the hell were you thinking!? Punching the sole heir of the Cayenne household?! Rean Schwarzer, I never dreamed you would do something so stupid!" Teo castigated his son, his anger written all over his face._

 _"B-But Dad, I-" Rean struggled to respond in that moment, beginning to choke up, having never seen his adoptive father this angry before._

 _"No buts! Do you have any idea how grave the situation you just put us in is!? The repercussions for striking someone like Duke Cayenne's son are immense! If he so wanted, the Duke could even strip us of our land! It would take time, but if he felt it was the only way to teach us a lesson, then he would and very well could do it!" The Baron continued to reprimand his child._

 _"He was bullying Elise Dad!" The young boy spoke up once more, tears building behind his eyes, lump in his throat as sobs threatened to begin racking his body. "And I t-tried to g-get him to s-stop, but he wouldn't listen! He made her cry! I had to make him stop!"_

 _"No! No excuses! Listen to me, Rean! It is better to bow and scrape and humble oneself before even the most vile and disgusting people, than it is to give in to the desire to inflict harm upon them!_ _Violence is always a last resort! A man so quick to resort to violence is nothing short of a ticking time-bomb! With time, it will become his one and only answer, until he can do nothing but inflict harm! A man like that is nothing more than a monster!"_

* * *

Sighing once more, Rean did his best to swallow the anger and shame that such a memory invoked in him. It was never the actual act of striking Verrat that he regretted, no, the punk more than deserved it. It was everything that came after that made him regret his actions. The chewing out he received from his father, not to mention the man's abundance of disappointment and aggravation directed toward him; the rumors that were born of the incident, and the subsequent blacklisting of the Schwarzer family. After that day, the Schwarzer family was almost completely ostracized from the other nobles, the invites to gatherings few and far between. Not to mention the exclusion from almost everything else concerning the nobility. With just that one occurrence, they were labeled the black sheep among the nobility, and became even more isolated to the goings on in the country than ever before.

After that...there were the glances filled with pity from his mother and the apologetic looks he'd get from Elise. As for his father...he never brought it up again. Never even mentioned it, as if it had never even happened in the first place. He never consoled his son over the matter, nor did he ever rebuke him or scold him over it after that first time, it was dropped for good, never to be brought up again. For Rean, that was worse than being punished for it.

"I was hoping to move past all that by coming here..." The diffident swordsman stated aloud. "I should've known that it would continue to follow me, just like my 'power'...no matter where I go..."

...

Emotions awhirl, it took Rean a few moments to notice...

Fie stood there, at the top of the stairs leading down onto the field, patiently waiting for her presence to be noticed.

"Fie..." He spoke her name with surprise, as he turned around to look up at her. "How long have you been standing there?"

"I only got here a few moments ago, actually. Thought you might want a few minutes to collect yourself, so I lagged behind." She informed him; her expression neutral.

"I see..." Rean hesitated then, unsure of what to say in that moment.

And as he did that, Fie took the time to begin descending the steps, not bothering to say anymore than she already had as she did. Because of that, a stretch of silence passed between the two, as the younger one approached the older, step by step, walking down onto the field.

Only once the last step had been traversed and Fie's feet touched the grass of the field, did the silence finally break. "Do you finally want to talk about it?" The silver-haired girl broke it herself, asking her childhood friend a simple, yet meaningful question, as she closed the last of the distance between them, coming to a stop when there was only a short two feet between them.

"I...Fie..." Rean was incapable of finding the words to express to her what he wished to; sheathing his blade as he did.

"You promised, Rean." She reminded him gently, voice soft, betraying the lack of expression on her face.

"I know I promised you...but..." Hesitation growing, apprehension showing, the dark-haired youth was unable to meet the maiden's eyes, and as such, lowered his gaze to the ground.

"But what?" Fie pressed him. "Why don't you want to talk to me about it? I just want to understand...and help you..." She assured him, her tone becoming solicitous in nature.

"I just...don't want to bother you with my problems. They're not-"

"Don't." She preempted him, voice taking on a harsher nature for a few brief moments. "They are important. To you, and to me. Stop trying to brush it off as nothing. It can't be nothing. Not if it's always weighing so heavily on you. And I know it is, I told you before, I can see it behind your eyes." She finished, tone softening once more.

"Fie, I..." Rean began; raising his head to meet her gaze once more; unsure of what to say to that, he trailed off for a moment. "Fine. I give up. I'll tell you." He conceded then, feeling as if he had no other option at that point.

"Good." She replied simply, a ghost of a grin present as she did.

"To tell you the truth...I'm stuck. I'm stuck, and I'm frustrated. So very frustrated!" His point was punctuated by the visible clenching of his fists, brow creasing and shoulders stiffening as well. "I don't know what to do anymore. I've tried so hard to keep myself under control, my emotions reigned in; a precaution I thought necessary because of my power. I don't ever want anything like that day to happen again." He confided in her, his words ringing all too similar to the bits and pieces he'd already let slip. "But there's more to it than that. I also wish to grow stronger, and yet, my progress is continuously stifled, by my own hand no less. I haven't the faintest clue as to what it is that I'm doing that's holding me back, however, it's there, I know it is. My master, the one who taught me the Eight Leaves One Blade style, told me this himself. He made it all too clear that, as I am now, I could never progress past the beginner level, where I'm still stuck at to this day!" The vexation he felt began to roll off of him in waves, as he vocalized his feelings on these matters.

Fie stood there and simply listened with a sympathetic ear, as her childhood friend continued to vent. He never went into too much detail, but that was okay, for now. It was too much to hope for that he would tell her everything so soon, and in one go. She didn't need to know everything, not yet. She would listen with rapt attention to what he would tell her though.

...

In the end, Rean didn't let a whole lot slip, even in his pent-up and aggravated state. All Fie was able to truly learn was the depths of his frustration concerning his inability to grow stronger, his concern and exasperation over the affect she and Crow had on his ability to keep his emotions reigned in and, more importantly, where the friction between him and Verrat came from. That was the one thing he had allowed himself to go in-depth about, disclosing the entirety of the incident and even some of it's lasting aftereffects to her. The even nastier treatment he received from the other nobles from that day onward included.

"And now with that asshole Verrat here, it only complicates things even further!" Rean continued, almost incapable of stopping the flow now that it had started. "I've been capable of enduring all the snide remarks, all the condescending comments, the jabs at my status as a noble through adoption, the insults to my pride, I could handle every unkind word thrown my way. I had to be able to, so that I didn't bring my family trouble and disgrace the Schwarzer name any further. I looked the ones who would spit such venom right in their eyes and I would force a smile, but with Verrat..." The rant trailed off for a few moments then, as the dark-haired youth hesitated with what he was about to say. "I wanted to break his jaw." The diffident swordsman suddenly confessed, brow furrowing and fists clenching once more.

Rather than respond, Fie simply quirked her brow in response, as she waited for him to continue.

"When he started spouting off about you and Crow, I wanted nothing more than to deck him! Despite Crow's eccentricities, he is my friend, and I can't stand it when someone insults my friends. But it was more than that, what he said about you...it infuriated me! It was just like with Elise! He knows absolutely nothing about you, he has no damn right to say the shit that he did!" Rean exclaimed with passion.

In that moment, Fie was taken aback. "Rean..." She breathed his name with surprise. She had not seen him filled with such fervor since they were children. 'He's always so busy keeping himself reigned in and his emotions in-check, he never lets himself just be himself.' She thought to herself in that moment. 'No, that's not quite right. I have seen him like this before since we came to the academy, just once...back during the toss-up we had with Warrick.' She corrected herself, images of Rean shielding her and then later grasping at the man who attacked them in an attempt to halt him, flashing before her mind's eye.

Taking a deep breath, Rean took a few moments to collect himself. Effectively having calmed himself, he released the air he'd taken in with an exhale. "I must seem like a complete mess right about now, huh?" He remarked with a self-deprecating chuckle. "How pathetic." He added, gaze becoming downcast once more. "Sorry about that, Fie." He apologize, sincerity all too clear. "Guess I'd been holding it in longer than I'd care to admit. And with everything that's been going on lately, well...regardless, I should've handled it better." He owned up to his failure in the matter, features softening and body returning to a more relaxed state, fists once more completely unclenched.

Raising his head, he met Fie's yellow-green orbs once more, and proceeded to smile at her, although it was all too evident how strained it was. "Seems Verrat wasn't too far off the mark regarding me." He honestly seemed to believe what he was saying in that moment. 'Worthless...? Maybe I am...'

Almost as if she could read his mind and hear his thoughts, Fie, concern and sympathy shining in her eyes, shook her head at him. "People see all kinds of different things when they look at someone. I don't think anyone sees you like Verrat envisions you, or how you envision yourself. But, no matter how anyone else sees you...even how you see yourself, it doesn't matter...at least, not to me. Because to me, you'll always be the boy that changed my life." She divulged this sensitive matter with a warm and tender tone to her childhood friend.

The blatant polarity between how she acted around others and how she acted around him finally, truly dawned on Rean in that moment, or rather, he finally picked up on the enormity of the difference. As such, it was Rean's turn to be taken aback, his surprise written all over his face. "Fie..."

She shook her head again at that, as she had every intention of finishing what she had to say before he responded. "You were the first person outside of Zephyr to treat me with warmth and kindness. You were my first friend, and I won't ever forget that. Nor will I forget everything you've done for me." She assured him with the utmost sincerity. "We may have only been together for those six short months, but even still...in that time, I felt happier than I had in a long time." She confessed to him softly, unable to fight back the small smile forming on her face. "You looked after me, took care of me...cared for me. You didn't have to, you had no reason to. I was some stranger you didn't know, some weird girl you found out in the middle of a snowstorm. And yet, you brought me back to Ymir, asked if I could stay on my behalf. You and your family took me in, treated me like I was a part of your family too." The young maiden's voice was filled to the brim with gratitude as she recounted these events.

"After that, you hardly ever left my side. You were always there, attempting to coax me out of my shell. You introduced me to the other children with this big smile on your face, as if you couldn't be prouder to be my friend. It made me feel...I don't really know how to describe it..." She admitted, as she searched for the correct words to express how she had and still felt about it all. "It made me feel...like I actually mattered." She confessed then, emotions at play more than they ever had been before; excluding life and death situations. 'You made me feel wanted...like my life had actual meaning.' She added onto her sentiment in her thoughts.

"Fie..." Rean gasped her name, mouth already moving to try and speak further, to say something, anything, but would most undoubtedly be some form of kind words. But that wasn't what Fie desired, and as such, she shook her head once more, letting him know she wasn't finished and that she wished not be interrupted.

"That feeling only grew over time. Every little act of kindness, you would do them for me without even thinking, as if it was no big deal. It was so new to me..." Fie's expression had softened considerably at this point, to reflect her emotional state. None of the walls that were usually up were anywhere to be found, nor did the show any sign of coming back up anytime soon. "As much as Zephyr was my family, they rarely treated me with such tenderness. I don't blame them, of course. The kind of lives we led...there wasn't much room for that kind of thing. You had to be tough, battle ready, if you hoped to survive." She explained. "They showed they cared from time to time, but they couldn't afford to actually treat me like a child for very long. It was decided that I needed to learn how to fight before I had even turned ten years old. The boss was against it at first, however, he eventually conceded, knowing the rest of the corp was right. I had to learn how to fight, how to kill...otherwise, I would die." The silver-haired girl confided solemnly in Rean.

This was something Rean had not seen in a very long time, Fie, open and vulnerable. 'The last time she opened up like this, was back when we were just kids...'

"That was something else that was new to me, another thing you showed me." The fifteen year old girl continued. "I had always relied of my family for protection, until I did learn to fight myself. They were strong though, they had the power to protect whatever they desired. I could never do that, not back then...I was too weak and helpless. Someone so weak could never protect anything or anyone. Or, at least, that's what I thought..." She trailed off in that moment, eyes misty with emotion. "Until you proved me wrong." She stated with conviction, eyes boring into his. "You were just as weak and fragile as I was, and yet...you protected me." She finished, all the abundance of admiration she felt for him shining through her yellow-green orbs with clarity.

At that, Rean had to fight back he urge to cast his gaze downward to the ground. "My power-"

"That isn't what I'm talking about." She corrected him, voice even softer than before. "You did protect me then, you saved my life. However, it wasn't the first time. I'm talking about the wolves."

"My dad is one who saved you that day, not me." He denied such a notion. "He saved both of us. If he hadn't gotten there when he did, we'd both be dead."

"You're wrong "She rebuked his assertion immediately. "I wouldn't have still been alive by the time he arrived if it wasn't for you. You saved my life that day. Your protected me from those wolves, and took my place as their victim."

"Fie, that's-" He began to contest her statement, only to be interrupted once more.

"It's true, Rean. Don't try and say otherwise." She softly dictated to him. "That aside, it's just one of the many things you did for me in the time I spent in Ymir."

Rean could do nothing more than shift uncomfortably back and forth, moving his weight from one side to another, onto one foot to another, incapable of thinking of a response to such words. He wasn't very accustomed to this sort of thing, too used to being ignored or insulted, by others or himself, it didn't matter. He specifically avoided such conversations with Elise, to prevent anything similar to what was currently happening from occurring. Even still, it would be a bald-faced lie to say the raven-haired youth didn't appreciate it, at least on some level.

In the absence of the diffident swordsman's reply, Fie pushed even further. "What I'm trying to say is...you're special to me, Rean." She unbosomed herself to him in that moment. "It doesn't matter what other people say about you or how they think of you. They're wrong. As your friend...as family, I know you better than they ever will. So believe me when I say, you're the best." The young maiden stepped forward in that moment, and wrapped her arms around her best friend, pulling herself close to hug him tight.

The impromptu embrace caught Rean off guard, eyes going wide, and yet, the abundance of affection that seemed to radiate from the petite girl for him, had him reciprocating the hug immediately."Fie...I..." Completely at a loss for words, the young man was unable to express his gratitude verbally, or just how deeply touched he was by all that she had said. His emotions were all over the place, only for completely different reasons this time. It was a fight to keep from choking up, in fact. For the first time since arriving at this school, Rean Schwarzer found himself unwilling to reign his emotions in. It was always a matter of not being capable before, this time, he lacked the will, the want to keep calm and detached.

No words would truly do in this moment, so, in the end, he went with the simplest and most direct route. "Thank you, Fie." He told her; smile overtaking his face as he deepened the embrace.

...

Unbeknownst to the two below, near the top of the stairs leading up from the field to the school, stood one Crow Armbrust, just out of sight. "Well then, guess I'd best not interrupt." He said to himself aloud. "I had planned to see if he wanted someone to vent to about that pompous jackass; considering he looked kinda pissed earlier; however, looks like she beat me to it." He remarked with some mirth.

Turning away, he began walking. "Guess I better go find something else to do." Fighting back a yawn, the white-haired teen rubbed at his still tired eyes, as he walked adjacent to the main building, moving toward the auditorium. "Man, I'm gonna kill that she-devil. Waking me up so damn early." Yawning once more, not bothering to fight this one, the bandanna wearing youth continued on his way to find something to occupy his time...anything except for actually attending class, that is.

* * *

END NOTE: Decided I'd put the strength/ability ranking in unarmed combat here.

The list is as follows, with one being the best and nine the worst.

1-Fie

2-Rean

3-Gaius/Alisa (They basically tied in ranking.)

4-Laura

5-Jusis

6-Machias

7-Elliot

8-Emma


	12. The Verdant City

Guest: Thank you, glad you like the story. Well, that's good, and thank you again. You, I've seen that image floating around before. I like it. What's more to say?

scrubsergeant: Thanks.

Manu259: Oh, please, don't apologize for that. I love long reviews.

Alright, understood.

Yeah, pretty much. Things do not look good for Rean's mental state.

Oh trust me, he'll get his, eventually. Question is, how?

Eh, you've got a point there.

Fair enough. Don't worry though, you'll find out eventually. I'd say sometime before the fifth field study, is the most likely time I will reveal exactly who it was that saved them then. I could, of course, decide to change that for some reason or another, but as of now, that's the plan. And no, I don't need anyone messaging me, telling me to write. If you wanted to shoot me a message to chat, that's fine, but that would be all. :P

Believe you me, Nord is going to be awesome. That's when things get taken to another level. You'll see what I mean, when we get there.

You have a good point. It would basically be an endless cycle, so we'll cut it off here. XD

Sounds good.

So did I, that was a big part of why I wrote it, after all. Most definitely, it's inevitable at this point.

I can understand that, but look at it this way. Teo came down so hard on Rean, not just because he assaulted Verrat, but more to keep him from ever doing something like that again. Because, follow me here, what would you expect the consequences of striking the most influential noble in the country's heir, excluding the imperial family of course, to be? Execution is a possibility, at least concerning someone like Cayenne. There is also imprisonment, and stripping of land and title and being rendered destitute. Teo wishes to keep Rean from ever putting himself, or their family for that matter, in that situation again, at least as a child who doesn't know the extent of the consequences of his actions, which he did not.

Furthermore, a big part of the reason he reacted like that, was to cover his family, and keep them from receiving retribution for Rean's actions. If Cayenne thought that Teo had harshly handled Rean and chewed him out and been furious with him and punished him, he was much less likely to punish the family as a whole. Teo didn't truly want to be so hard on Rean, but it was a necessity in this situation, for multiple reasons. And because he did that, Rean did not cause any further incidents, and the Schwarzer family did not suffer any repercussions, with the exception of further ostracization from the nobility as a whole. Which was a price they could afford to pay, far more than the alternatives. I hope my reasoning makes sense to more than just me when it comes to this. XP

Indeed he is. Yeah, this field study is going to be a lot of work, that's for sure. That's the way it goes though, no breaks for Rean.

No need to apologize, I quite like long reviews. I can't wait for next time.

As for your stories, well, as I'm sure you've seen by now, I checked out two of them. I like them. I mean, they're a bit rough, but I definitely like them. Plus anything that is ReanxFie or even hinting at it, well, let's just say you could probably sell me a bridge with those two as a pairing in the pitch, love'em to death. As for the third one, true steel, well...I want to read it, but since it's running a similar course to mine, I don't wanna go reading it and end up stealing a bunch of your ideas. XD That's a joke, I wouldn't do that. But seriously, I'm gonna wait till either I'm really, really bored and have nothing to do, or when I'm a little further along to go reading through your third, and longest story. I did notice you say something in your author's notes about it being ReanxFie though, so I'll admit, I could be persuaded. I might just find myself weak and give in and read it regardless eventually, ya never know. That said, speaking of author's notes, I saw you mention me in the second chapter of true steel. Aren't you a buddy? Thanks, I appreciate that very much! :)

Jose19: I would explain how wrong you are, but I've already done so many times in the form of messaging. So, I'll simply refer you to the response I gave above about Teo's actions.

Apex85: I see, that's a bit lame. I'll see about doing something with that.

Rest assured, Cayenne and his progeny will pay, that is certain.

That's fine, I doubt you'll ever change your mind regarding Crow. If you were to though, it wouldn't be till either the end of the Cold Steel 1 era of this story, or somewhere in the Cold Steel 2 era, I'm sure of that.

I can understand that. You have a point, but ignoring someone like Verrat simply wouldn't work, of course, I'm sure you know this.

You're not wrong.

Nope, I'll confirm that here and now. Before last chapter, Crow had not once ever met Cayenne's son.

Yeah, I thought that might happen. Verrat is a real piece of shit. He was always going to be that way. I thought about scaling him back as I wrote him out, but I decided against it and went with what I had originally envisioned and such, the ultimate douche was born! XD

Refer to my reasoning above in my response to Manu on Teo's actions, and I think that sums it up pretty well.

I can see that, but I figured with their expertise in their combat styles, they'd be a little less experienced in hand to hand, while Alisa would be pretty good at it, considering, as you said, her connections to Sharon and Angelica.

Thank you. I enjoyed it as well. Oh most definitely. This field study is not going to be a breeze or easy by any means.

RedBurningDragon: Pretty much. He's basically the penultimate noble asshole. Yeah, I love these moments between Rean and Fie. Well, Alisa might be my least favorite in Class VII, but from everything I know of her, I figured she'd probably be pretty damn decent in hand to hand combat, so I spitballed and ended up deciding she'd probably fit in right about there.

Guest: As I said twice now, refer to my response above to Manu regarding the reasoning behind Teo's actions. Also, next time, try and leave a little more input or something, rather than just asking one question as if that's the biggest deal going on in the story. There's a lot more Teo to come, so maybe wait till then before you go saying he's being OOC.

Heero De Fanel: I suppose so. This one's longer though.

Yeah, no one seems to get my reasoning regarding Teo. I say it again, refer to the explanation I gave Manu above. That said, you make a fair point that isn't too far off base. It's more than the reasoning above why Teo did what he did, though said reasoning is the major factor. What else influenced his decision was the altered timeline and the new events that have taken place, for sure. I won't straight up tell you, but I will say this, the nobles have applied far more...'pressure' in this version of events, regarding Rean and their distaste for his adoption. As for Verrat, he'll get his, eventually. Don't you worry about that. Still, remember, things tend to get worse before they get better.

Good to know, thank you. Well here you are, the next one. And it hasn't even been a month!

Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. Coin Ward, hirdorwin, DrSchadenfreude055, luticvlad, arr3nft, thank you!

So...longest chapter to date, and we don't even get to the really good stuff of Bareahard till the next one. Oh well, hope you guys enjoy it. Now then, please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 _ **ACT I - CHAPTER II - PART IV**_

 **...**

The final bell of the school day had come and gone and students had either retreated to their dorms or hurried to their clubs. The one outlier was one Rean Schwarzer, who stood in the courtyard behind the main building, shaking his head in amusement. "Fie, come on."

This remark was made because, once more, the silver-haired maiden had been caught in the act of sleeping out in the open, on the middle bench of the courtyard, to be more specific.

As the diffident swordsman stood there over Fie, a voice caught his attention. "Hello there. Am I correct in assuming you're Rean, Fie's friend?"

Turning around to face the owner of said voice, Rean caught sight of a girl. This girl appeared to be a second year, most likely eighteen years of age; possessed violet colored eyes and long, flowing emerald green hair. She wore the standard female variation of the white noble uniform, the one addition unique to her being her wide-brimmed beige-colored gardening hat.

"O-Oh, um, yes, actually. That's me." Rean confirmed. "But who are...?"

"Oh, pardon me. My name is Edel, second year student, head of the Gardening Club." She introduced herself with a bright, kind smile.

"Ah, I see. Nice to meet you. I'm Rean Schwarzer." He introduced himself in turn.

"I know." She reminded him. "Fie's told me a lot about you. If she hadn't, I don't think I would have recognized you, to be honest."

"She talks about me?" He questioned, a bit surprised.

"Almost exclusively. She's not very talkative, but the few times I have gotten her to speak with me, you were the focus of the conversation. The only real exception was the few times we talked about what types of flowers she likes and had come across before." She explained.

"O-Oh, I see..." Was all Rean could come up with; a feint red dusting his cheeks.

Quickly regaining his composure, Rean cleared his throat and attempted to banish the blush, before speaking further. "Is it always like this? Fie napping when she's supposed to be helping you with the flowers, I mean." He steered the conversation away from the subject of himself, or rather, Fie talking about him.

"No, not always." She answered honestly. "She sleeps here on the benches most days, however, sometimes she spends time at the nurse's office with Instructor Beatrix." She elaborated.

"...Is that it? She never helps with the flowers?" Rean questioned further.

"No. Not really. She always makes sure to look after the flowers the two of you planted though, I assure you." She informed him.

"Ah...well then..." The humble swordsman started. "Allow me to apologize on her behalf."

"Oh please, there's no need." She assured him. "I'm sure she'll come around soon. Besides, one mustn't rush someone to bloom. A seed can't sprout into a flower overnight, you know." She advised him kindly.

"I got ya. Still, thank you for your kindness. I appreciate it. Fie isn't a very sociable girl, so to know she found someone she can talk to, about anything really, is a relief." The raven-haired teen said with a smile.

"No need to thank me. I must admit I've taken an interest in her. That's more than likely why I don't mind so much that she hasn't been helping out, if I'm being honest." She confessed. "Though I have a hunch that it won't be long now, before she decides to participate of her own free will. Mark my words."

The dark-haired youth chuckled at that. "I certainly hope you're right about that."

...

After speaking with Rean for another minute or so, Edel excused herself so that she could return to tending to the garden of different flowers across the way. Leaving Rean alone with the sleeping Fie once more.

Turning to said sleeping girl; he sighed. Deciding to wake her, he opted to do so with a simple two finger poke, using the index and middle fingers of his right hand, and lightly pressed them to the center of her forehead. He applied just enough pressure to cause her to stir.

Eyes fluttering open, Fie let out a yawn and sat up from her prone position. "Hey Rean." She greeted him.

"Fie, why aren't you helping Edel with the flowers?" He asked her straight out. "She's the head of your club, not to mention the only other member. I'm sure she could use the extra pair of hands."

"There's another member of the Gardening Club." Fie corrected him.

"There is?" He asked, surprised. "I didn't see anyone else, so I just assumed..." He explained his reasoning. "I guess this third member is even more guilty of failing to participate than you are. Who is it, anyway?"

"Vivi." The silver-haired maiden supplied.

"Oh, her." Was the diffident swordsman's simple yet telling response, the mild exasperation consuming his features in that moment proof he'd met the peculiar girl. "She's...interesting, that's for sure." He tried to sound neutral, as he forced the exasperation down and returned to his regular demeanor.

"I see you've met her." Fie acknowledged his reaction as recognition of exactly what kind of girl Vivi was.

"You could say that. I was trying to help out her sister when...well, let's just say she likes her pranks." He left it at that.

"Anyway, back to you." He returned the conversation to the topic of his childhood friend. "For the hundredth time, you really shouldn't be sleeping outside, completely out in the open in every sense of the word."

"You've never really given me a good reason not to." She contended.

"A good reason? Well...you're a girl." Rean supplied dumbly.

"Last time I checked, yeah." Fie snarked. "What about it?"

"Well...I mean, a girl sleeping out in the open in a place with tons of people isn't exactly...the brightest idea. Someone could...you know, take advantage." He awkwardly tried to explain, without actually outright saying what he was inferring to.

The fifteen year old quirked a brow at this. "Now what kind of dirty thoughts are going on in your head?" She queried.

"I-I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just worried about you." He attempted to assure her.

"I know, I know. I'm just giving you a hard time." She told him outright, a tinge of mirth in her tone.

"Shoulda figured." He sighed.

"Anyways, if you're so against me sleeping outside on my own, you should join me for once." She offered.

Rean couldn't help but laugh at this.

* * *

A few hours later...

The day was coming to an end, the sun setting. Their training done for the day, and Rean's personal objective of getting Fie to agree to help Edel out once and a while accomplished, the duo of childhood friends was on their way back to their dorm.

The two had just reached Keyne's Bookstore, when they came to a sudden stop.

"Is that a bell?" Rean wondered aloud, having heard something of the like.

Before Fie could give affirmation, having heard it to, the source of the noise became evident.

Strolling along was a cat with a fine coat of black and purple fur, a light blue ribbon tied to her tail and a collar of matching color around her neck, where the origin of the noise was, as there a bell hung from said collar. Coming to a stop, the cat rested it's behind on the ground, and turned it's head to look dead at the pair, revealing it's lime-green eyes.

"My, haven't you got lovely fur." Rean complimented the animal. "Who's your master, I wonder? Any idea Fie?" He questioned his companion.

Fie simply shook her head at that.

The duo approached the cat then and crouched down to where they were almost eye level with the creature. In response, the feline meowed at them, showing it's docile nature.

"Good kitty." The diffident swordsman praised the animal. "Well, she's got a ribbon, so she's definitely not a stray." He stated then.

Fie just nodded her head in agreement.

Reaching out with his index and middle fingers of his right hand, waiting for an ill reaction that never came, Rean began gently brushing up and down the feline's neck and chin. Not only was the creature not opposed to such contact, it seemed to very much appreciate the gesture, pleased mews starting to come from her.

"Haha." Rean chuckled. "Does that feel good?"

"She really does have pretty fur." The stoic girl said, affirmation to her childhood friend's previous compliment.

"Yeah." He agreed. "Such a pretty girl...er, cat." He corrected himself then, as he realized he had no clue as to this feline's gender. "Actually, are you male or female? I've just been assuming female, but...you could be a boy cat, I-"

The animal's demeanor completely changed in that moment, as it hissed and reared back, fur sticking up a bit in it's suddenly agitated state; cutting at Rean with it's claws, raking them across his right hand.

"Ow!" The teen exclaimed in pain, pulling his hand back and placing the wounded area, the space between his index finger and thumb, in his mouth instinctively, as if such an act would actually diminish the sudden pain it was in.

"Bad kitty." Fie chastised the cat immediately, clearly annoyed by it's actions.

The cat seemed to calm down then, as it simply closed it's eyes and turned it's head away from them, taking on an almost haughty attitude in that moment. Not deigning to stay any longer, the feline proceeded to begin strolling away.

Rean sighed at that point. "Guess I pushed my luck."

Taking a moment to actually look at his injury, he pulled his hand away from his face and examined it for a moment. The wound started in the center of the back of his hand and ran down to the space between his index finger and thumb; there were four scratches in total. Only the one that was between his fingers was bleeding, while the others had just barely broken skin.

"She didn't scratch me too deep, but to be safe I'd better apply some ointment when we get back to the dorm, just in case." He assessed.

Fie nodded her head in agreement with this.

...

Having retrieved the ointment Rean had spoken of, the childhood friends parked themselves in Fie's room, where Rean sat himself down on her bed, while she sat beside him and applied the ointment.

"It really isn't that bad." The humble swordsman assured Fie. "I can apply the ointment myself, it's not that big a deal."

"I've got it." Fie contended.

"It's just a few small scratches from a cat, I've had way more serious injuries, you know that. You don't have to go all mother hen-"

"Maybe not, but I want to." She told him then.

"Fie?" He spoke her name questioningly.

"I got hurt a lot as a jaeger, and I'm sure you probably experienced something similar during your training. I know you, you would have kept pushing yourself and pushing yourself till you hurt yourself doing something simple, let alone the more advanced stuff I'm sure you got up to. I wish I could have been there then, to take care of you like this, but I wasn't. So let me make up for it now." She confessed, her voice taking on a warm, affectionate note.

"Fie..." Rean breathed her name, unsure of what to say to that.

Not that he got a chance to respond, as the sudden sound of knocking coming from the door caught their attention.

"Come in." Fie told whoever it was at her door, the warmth and affection gone from her voice, as she finished slathering the ointment on her childhood friend's hand.

The door opened then, to reveal the visitor, or visitors as it turned out, as Emma and Alisa.

"Hey, Emma, Alisa." Fie greeted the other two girls.

"Oh, Rean! I didn't expect to see you in here." Emma said upon noticing the boy's presence.

"What exactly are you doing in here?" Alisa inquired evenly with a quirked brow, clearly a tad suspicious.

"Oh, well, you see, I just-" Rean began to explain his presence in a girl's room, to hopefully prevent any misunderstanding, when he was suddenly cut off.

"He doesn't need to explain himself." Fie said bluntly to the two then, not bothering to look at them as she did, instead opting to pull out the roll of bandages she needed. "He's allowed in my room whenever he wants be in here." She told them candidly.

Rean chuckled uncomfortably at this, mainly because of the further raising of Alisa's quirked brow. "Um, Fie, that's probably not the best way to put it."

"Don't care."

Alisa shook her head at this. "Anyway, we stopped by to see if you wanted to talk, Fie. About what's going on between you and Laura. We'd like to help."

"Yes, if there's anything-" Emma began, only to stop mid-sentence as she caught sight of a certain injury.

"Oh, my! Rean! What happened to your right hand?" She queried with concern.

"Oh, this?" He held his right hand up for emphasis. "A black cat with really glossy fur gave it to me." He answered her. "I've never seen it around before, so I was curious. I assume it belongs to someone in town, since it was wearing a blue ribbon and a bell. I must've done something to offend it though, because it got all grumpy out of nowhere and scratched me up pretty good."

"I-I'm so sorry!" She hurriedly apologized, with a proper bow to boot.

"Huh?" Alisa had no response to this, wondering why on Earth her classmate would apologize over some random cat.

"Wha-" Rean began, only to be interrupted.

"Please, allow me to take care of it." Emma exhorted then, striding over to the bed and bending down to take a look at his scratched up hand, inadvertently putting her chest right in his face.

Up till that point, Rean had been making perfect eye-contact with the bespectacled beauty, now however...well, he couldn't meet her eyes if he wanted to, what with the blockage in his way. He thought about telling her outright what she was doing, but thought calling attention to it might just make everything eve more awkward.

"U-Um, E-Emma, not that I don't appreciate it, but Fie has it covered." He tried to convince her, so as to hopefully get her to back up and get her boobs out of his face. As, at least at the moment, he was eye-level and face to face with the generous bust, and as a result, a blush consumed his face. 'I never realized how big they are...'

Fie, sitting right beside Rean, took notice of the precarious position immediately. And though she said nothing, a noticeable frown did form on her face.

Alisa, from where she was standing, couldn't see the fact that Rean's face was eclipsed by her friends 'orbs', and remained quiet, patiently waiting for her to finish.

"Still, I would like to help." Emma insisted, taking Rean's hand to give it a thorough once over, despite the ointment already covering the wound on it.

Turning his head to finally clear his vision of the clothed breasts, Rean continued to speak with the oblivious girl. "W-Why? Do you know the cat or something?"

"No! Not at all!" The brunette denied vehemently, standing and taking a quick step back as she did, dropping his hand as a result. "I've just seen it around a few times."

'If that's the case, why does she seem so worked up? I've never seen her so flustered before.' The raven-haired teen wondered to himself.

Rean's hand unattended to once more, Fie took hold of it and began wrapping it. "If you guys wanna talk, we'll do it in a few minutes. Just let me finish wrapping Rean's hand. So wait outside for a minute, would ya?"

Emma was all too eager to acquiesce, and Alisa saw no real reason not to, so they did as the younger girl asked, closing the door behind them as they left.

...

"That was awkward." Rean stated suddenly.

"Mm." Came Fie's agreement.

* * *

 **5/29 - Saturday**

The day to depart for their field study destinations had come, as both Group A and Group B stood in the lobby of the Trista train station, waiting for their trains to arrive. The entirety of the class had already bought their tickets, and greetings had been shared; conversation had flowed, and now, for the most part, they stood in silence. Mostly due to almost palpable tension between Machias and Jusis, as well as Fie and Laura. It made it difficult to relax, that's for sure. This tension showed itself though as Machias and Jusis began arguing once more, and Fie and Laura continued to regard each other with cold indifference.

'This is going to be a long weekend...' Rean thought to himself in that moment.

"If anyone can do it, it's you, Rean" Gaius vocalized his vote of confidence, though voice low enough where the four individuals in question failed to hear his words.

"Eh...do what?" Rean asked.

"To get those four to make peace."

"Uh...I appreciate that Gaius, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. I'm not sure what I could possibly do to resolve the tension between all of them. That said...I'll certainly try my hardest."

...

It was only a few moments later that the train departing for Bareahard arrived. And as Group A prepared to make their way to the boarding platform, they bid their fellow classmates in Group B farewell.

"Good luck with them." Alisa wished Rean luck.

Elliot gave his friend a sympathetic glance and said, "Do your best."

"Take care, everyone!" Emma waved them off.

* * *

Roughly ten minutes later, the train was in motion and the five had taken their seats. Somehow, someway, the seating arrangement ended up being Rean in one booth, with Machias and Jusis on either side of him, and Fie and Laura across from them, the two girls at opposite ends of their booth, putting as much distance between them as they could.

"Um, perhaps we should've thought our seating through a little better." Rean remarked with a awkward chuckle.

Two of his classmates seemed to be in agreement, as Fie and Machias made eye contact then, and the latter asked, "Switch seats?"

"Mm." Fie nodded in agreement.

The two stood in unison. Right quick then, they switched spots, putting Fie by Rean and a little further away from Laura, and Machias a little further away from Jusis.

"Okay then...anyways, we should probably go over what we know about Bareahard before we get there." Rean opined then. "Would you mind giving us an overview, Jusis? You're from Bareahard City, after all."

"Hmph. If that's what you want, I'll oblige." Jusis agreed. "But are you sure you wouldn't rather hear from the group's finest intellectual mind instead?" His eyes sought out Machias then. "I'm sure he'd be able to give you a far more critical analysis, without any of the pro-noble bias I'm certain to inject." He stated sarcastically.

"Are you suggesting that I allow my views to cloud my ability to see things objectively?" Machias questioned tersely, glaring hard at the blonde as he did.

"Oh, not at all. You were intelligent enough to score second on the entrance exam, after all." The blonde-haired teen mocked. "And you've spent your every waking moment since with your nose glued to a textbook, studying as if your life depended on it. So I'm sure your knowledge is quite vast, in terms of book smarts...even if it is lacking in virtually every other regard." He taunted the bespectacled teen.

"Why, you...!" Machias shot out of his seat and to his feet, riled up by the noble's words.

Rean pointedly looked at both of them then. "Well, it's easy to see why you scored so miserably in last month's field study." He spoke bluntly.

That got their attention, both teens looking directly at Rean in that moment, focusing on him rather than each other.

"Last month, Group B got an 'E' on their field study. If that had been a paper exam, it would've been a fail. And a low one, at that. You guys probably would have gotten an even worse score, if it weren't for Emma and Alisa doing their best to pick up the slack." He boldly laid the facts out. "Do you two really want a repeat of that?"

"W-Well..." Machias hesitated.

"Hmph. I hope you're not naively suggesting we just put all our differences aside and become best friends." Jusis retorted.

"Of course not." Rean said with a shake of his head. "We were chosen to be in Class VII because of our differences, in fact. We come from different backgrounds, so naturally we're going to have conflicting opinions and ways of looking at things. And no doubt we all have beliefs that we're not willing to compromise on, no matter what. But that doesn't change the fact that for the next few days, we're all part of the same group. We're all partners." The humble swordsman explicated, taking the time to pointedly look toward each and every member of the group as he did.

Fie nodded her head in understanding, knowing exactly what he wanted from her.

"Point taken." Laura said simply, getting the point.

"I was wondering what you were getting at." Jusis added.

"You have to be joking! I refuse to accept the idea that-" Machias started to protest, only to interrupted.

"I'm not saying we have to be friends!" The diffident swordsman elucidated his point. "Though that's certainly not a bad idea. But regardless, we're in the same group, and we're working toward the same objective. We have to be capable of working together at a competent level, at least." He tried to explain. "Let me try putting it another way. We're united against a common 'enemy', Group B. And unless we want to lose to them, we have to work together here." He expounded.

"What...? I didn't expect that coming from you." The bespectacled boy remarked.

"Indeed. I wouldn't have taken you to be the competitive type." The sophisticated blonde concurred.

"I will admit, I thought much the same." The well spoken noble girl, apparently, shared their opinion.

"He's not. At least, not to the same extent as some people." The stoic teen corrected them.

"Maybe I'm not exactly the 'competitive type', but I care about winning and losing just as much as the next guy. And I get just as frustrated when other people hold me back." The raven-haired teen professed. "I'm jealous of how good your grades are, for example. Both of you. I feel like I'm losing the race, and have to struggle to catch up." He admitted to the other two males. "The same goes for your two's strength." Rean confessed further, looking between both Fie and Laura in that moment. "Even still, despite all the brain-power and strength we have at our disposal, our score might not be half of what Group B's is sure to be. Because of our shortcomings and all the tension and animosity building between this group, we might not even pass to be honest-"

"Enough! I get it already!" Machias exclaimed with a minor sense of exasperation, before sitting back down in his seat. "We don't have much choice other than to go along with this 'yay, team' attitude, not if we hope to outdo Group B, and more importantly, actually prove we can combat link just as well as everyone else can."

"I would prefer not to cooperate with this farce myself...but I have no intention of standing by and accepting defeat." Jusis replied.

"So you're saying..."

"Until this trip is over, we will call a truce." Machias apprised. "Agreed?" He looked toward Jusis then, waiting for his agreement.

"Hmph. Very well." Came his unenthusiastic agreement. "The very notion of working under these circumstances is ludicrous, but I am more than capable of enduring such idiocy if I must."

"Th-The same goes for me!"

Turning from them, Rean turned his attention to Fie and Laura once more. "And what about you two?"

"I assure you, I will perform to the utmost of my capabilities. Our...impasse, will not be a detriment to the group, I promise you." Laura gave her word.

"What she said. We won't let our problems drag the group down." Fie added.

"That's good to hear." Rean said with a smile. "Well, now that that's done, would you mind telling us what you can about Bareahard, Jusis?"

"All right, if you insist. Here's what I can tell you..."

...

After Jusis had gone over everything, silence settled over the five for a time. That is until Rean brandished a certain deck of cards...

"More blade? I'm down." Fie approved, apparently.

"I wouldn't mind a round myself." Laura didn't seem to mind the idea of playing either.

"Blade? I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar." Jusis admitted.

"That's that card game right? That one I've seen the kids in Trista playing?" Machias inquired.

"Well, more than just kids play it. Crow comes to mind. Then there's Gaius, Elliot and I, not to mention Fie and Laura seem to have taken a liking to it as well." Rean told them.

"I see. Well, if half our class seems to like it, it must have some merit. Count me in for a game." The dark green-haired teen responded.

"Jusis, How about you?" Th dark-haired seventeen year old questioned.

"I don't see why not. Fine, I'll play."

...

Roughly two dozen rounds later...

"H-how? How the hell did you win again!?" Machias exclaimed in disbelief. "This is the tenth time in a row!"

"Simple. You suck at this." Fie responded tauntingly, face blank, but the mirth she was feeling clear in her eyes. Or at least it was to a certain swordsman.

"Argh!" The brainy teen growled in frustration.

Rean fought back the smirk that wanted to show itself. 'Machias doesn't realize it, but Fie's teasing him. I'm glad she sees him as someone worth teasing. At this rate, what with Edel as well, she might not have any problems making friends after all.'

Turning his attention to the blonde to his left, Rean met the teen's gaze, prompting said teen to speak, "I wasn't expecting to return to Bareahard so soon."

"It's been about two months since we started at the academy...guess it hasn't really been long enough yet for you to miss it, huh?"

"Hmph. Indeed. And two months is hardly enough time for anything to truly change." Jusis pointed out.

"Haha, that's very true." Rean replied with a nod. "Still, a city full of nobles...I get the feeling I'm going to need to be a lot more conscious of the things I say and do." He admitted.

"Nobles do have quite a fixation with social standing and class." Jusis conceded.

'Believe me, I know all too well.' The diffident swordsman thought to himself.

"But you should try not to let it get to you. Just be yourself." The aloof noble advised. "If you exert too much energy reigning in your every word and action, we won't be able to get anything done."

"That's good advice, thanks."

'If Rean reigned himself in any more, he'd be a robot.' Fie thought to herself in that moment, even as she played yet another round of blade with Machias.

"If you have any more like it, I'm sure we'd be really appreciative. We'll be relying on your knowledge of the city." Rean reminded him.

"You're in good hands then." Jusis remarked with a ghost of a smile.

* * *

As the five deboarded their train at Bareahard station, they found themselves almost immediately swarmed by station employees.

"Lord Jusis!" One said, as they all performed proper bows in unison.

"Lord Jusis! Welcome back to Bareahard!" The first employee bid the young noble welcome.

"It's a pleasure to see you again!" The second employee declared.

"Hmph. I can't believe all the station employees would abandon their duties just to come and welcome him." Machias remarked, voice low enough to where only his classmates could hear him.

"He's a real VIP." Fie commented with a quiet tone to where she, too, could only be heard by her classmates.

"I've returned here as a student of Thors Military Academy, to conduct a field study." Jusis informed the station employees gathered around him. "I believe that you were informed that this manner of excessive welcome is neither necessary nor desired, were you not?" He queried, eyes narrowing a tad in annoyance.

"W-Well, yes, but..." The first employee stammered.

"You're a child of the Albarea household! If anything, we should be apologizing for not giving you an even greater welcome!" The third employee opined.

"Please, allow me to carry your luggage." The fourth employee offered humbly.

"We would be honored to carry the belongings of your classmates as well." The second employee then extended the offer to the rest of Group A.

Jusis could only sigh heavily at this.

"That won't be necessary." Came the sound of a new voice, masculine in nature.

The number of station employees all did a one-eighty then, surprise written all over their faces as they laid eyes on the owner of said voice. "L-Lord Rufus?!"

That name got Jusis to turn his attention to the same place as the employees, to see two men coming down the stairs leading to the boarding platform. His eyes widened as he recognized them. "R-Rufus?!"

All the station employees then stepped to the side, lining up in a neat and orderly fashion, as the two men reached the bottom of the staircase and passed by them. It was when the two men came to a stop in front of Group A, that the rest of the teens got a good look at the men.

The first was an elderly man in a brown suit, more than likely a butler.

The second however, was a young man who appeared to be in his mid-to-late twenties, with long blonde hair tied into a single ponytail style. He possessed fair skin and striking cyan-blue eyes. As for attire, his wardrobe consisted of a light-green robe-like uniform with a brown belt, gold buttons seen on the front, as well as the sleeves. Underneath that, he wore some kind of white long-sleeve dress shirt, accompanied by a dark magenta colored scarf, with a jewel pin on the front center. As well as a pair of tan pants, followed by bronze colored boots. Finally, the last article was the pin and line attached dark greyish-blue cape that stretched down almost to his ankles.

This regal looking man, who's name was apparently Rufus, spoke then. "My beloved brother, it's a pleasure to see you again. To think, it's been two months! Where did the time go?"

A flash of recognition took place in Rean's mind then. 'This is...I saw this guy hanging out with dad when I was younger. I never did catch his name...to think he was Jusis' brother all along...'

"I wasn't expecting to reunite with you so soon, but I'm delighted to have the opportunity." Rufus verbally expressed his joy at seeing his brother again.

"As am I." Jusis returned the sentiment, even if it was much more tame in nature. "You seem well."

"I take it these are your fellow members of Class VII?" Rufus asked his brother.

"You know about us?" Rean questioned.

The older blonde nodded at that. "Of course! I've read all about you in my brother's letters." He answered. "But where are my manners? My name is Rufus Albarea. Jusis is my younger brother." He formally introduced himself then. "You needn't hide your shock. It would come as no surprise at all to learn that my brother has never once mentioned me." He assured them. "He is, after all, quite easily embarrassed."

"T-That's not...!" Jusis began to object, only to trail off, unsure of how to respond. His usual aloof attitude had been shaken a bit, his older brother clearly unnerving him in some sort of way.

Said blonde's classmates sweatdropped at this interaction between brothers.

"He's being toyed with." Fie observed, once more keeping her voice low enough to where only Rean, Laura ad Machias could hear her.

"I can hardly believe my ears. What happened to the arrogant young upstart we've come to know and...mostly tolerate?" Machias wondered aloud quietly, finding the situation both amusing and strange.

"Well, I suppose family has a way of throwing most people off, at least in the sense that they can cut through matters right to the heart of who you really are. You can't exactly keep your cool around them, especially if it's an artificial one." Laura supposed.

"Ah, but I digress. This is no time for idle chatter." Rufus said then, getting everyone's attention. "I came to escort you to your lodgings for the weekend." The regal man apprised them.

"W-Wait. You don't mean..." Jusis started to speak, only to be cut off.

"Haha. The car is parked outside." Rufus informed them with a chuckle. "Welcome to the Verdant City of Bareahard. I hope you enjoy your stay, ladies and gentlemen of Class VII." He formally welcomed them.

* * *

A few minutes later...

Group A were all seated inside a limo, Rufus with them, as they rode through Bareahard.

"I see...so the one responsible for selecting our tasks this time around was..." Rean conjectured.

"Indeed. I selected them on behalf of my father." Rufus confirmed. "Allow me to present you with this." He proffered Rean an envelope with the words Thors Military Academy written on it, along with the academy's crest.

The affable swordsman took it from him with a nod. "Thank you."

"It really is a fascinating coincidence." Rufus began. "I never imagined my brother would become classmates with the son of Lord Schwarzer." He remarked.

Jusis cast his gaze to his brother then, curiosity all too clear.

Rean paid him heed as well, just as curious. "Are you and my father close?" He inquired.

"Most certainly. Baron Teo Schwarzer is a good friend of mine." Rufus answered honestly. "Many years ago, I accompanied him to a falconry competition held in the suburbs of Heimdallr." He explained. "He taught me much about the practice and it's etiquette. Ever since then, we've kept in touch and even gone on a few hunting outings together." The blonde young man informed them. "Unfortunately, my duties began to demand more and more of my attention, and as such, I have been unable to visit him in roughly half a decade now." The regal man elucidated, just an inkling of regret present in his voice. "Is he doing well?"

"Heh. Yes, he's quite well. And still as fond as hunting as ever." The raven-haired youth relied.

"Splendid, splendid! Hahaha..." The oldest of the Albarea siblings was obviously overjoyed to hear as such. "And you must be the son of Governor Regnitz, no?" He queried, attention shifting to Machias.

"That's correct." The bespectacled teen confirmed with a nod of his head. "I'm surprised you knew."

"Indeed. I encounter him quite often when taking care of official matters in the capital. Though our positions may be different, he has given me excellent advice in the past." The refined noble made it clear that he held the governor in high regard. "I feel it must be fate that you, too, would end up in my younger brother's class. Please do and try to get along with him." He asked of the teen, all too obviously genuine in sentiment.

"I-I..." Machias hesitated meekly, evidently finding it rather difficult to muster any animosity in that moment. "...I will...consider the possibility with an open mind."

"Haha. Wonderful." Rufus responded with a hearty chuckle. "And I would be remiss if I were not to acknowledge the beautiful ladies among us." He stated suddenly, diverting his gaze to the females of Group A. "No doubt your presence brings a touch of elegance to my younger brother's academic life." He reckoned. "Of course, I've no doubt you offer him challenge in the combat aspect of your schooling, as well. That's to be expected from young ladies of your caliber." The regal man complimented the girls. "I am speaking to the daughter of Viscount Arseid, after all." Rufus addressed Laura in particular. "And as far as I can tell, you seem no sort of slouch yourself." He regarded Fie specifically then.

"You are too kind." Laura replied with gratitude, appreciative of the compliment paid her way.

"Mm." Was Fie's short, to the point and rather neutral response.

This response the fifteen year old gave could be interpreted as rude, perhaps that was why Laura seemed to be bugged by it, the corners of the sword-maiden's mouth twitching for the faintest of moments, threatening to quirk downward to form a frown. If anyone caught this minute gesture, they didn't speak of it.

"Can we please stop discussing me?" Jusis implored his brother, a tad embarrassed; the older sibling having started on another subject pertaining to his kid-brother. "And when you said lodgings, you couldn't have possibly been referring to..."

"Need you even ask?" Rufus said with a laugh. "Naturally, you'll be staying at the Albarea family mansion."

"B-But..." Jusis began to object, almost piteous in tone.

"Haha! I jest. Father's instructions were that I should do with you as I wish." Rufus informed him. "So, considering the circumstances of your visit, I've had a hotel room prepared. That way you will be able to concentrate more easily on your field study, no?" He reassured his little brother.

"Thank you. I truly appreciate it." Jusis verbalized his relief and gratitude toward his older sibling, a sigh accompanying said verbalization, as well as a ghost of a relieved smile.

"I'm afraid we'll need to end our charming repartee here, however. For I can see your hotel coming into view now..."

...

"Thank you for the escort." Rean verbally expressed his gratitude to Rufus, as the group finished filing out of the limo.

"Thank you for arranging our lodgings, as well. We're grateful for your kindness." Laura echoed the gratitude.

"Oh, think nothing of it." Rufus waved it off like nothing, clearly of the mind that he'd done something rather trivial. "Under normal circumstances, I would have invited you to a banquet this evening. But unfortunately, I have business I must attend to in Heimdallr after we've finished here." He regretfully informed them.

"In Heimdallr? Will you be going by airship?" Jusis inquired.

"Indeed. I'm representing our father." Rufus told his brother. "Heh. Don't tell me you're going to be all lonely and blue without me!" The older brother teased his sibling.

"Surely you jest." The younger of the brothers responded with a sigh.

The other four member of Group A sweat dropped at this.

Rufus chuckled then. "He may not be the most affable person, but please, do try to extend your kindness to my brother." He implored the teenagers. "May the goddess' blessings be with you. I pray your field study activities are fruitful."

...

Only a few moments later and Rufus was gone, having been driven off in his limo, leaving Group A by themselves out in front of the hotel.

"So...that was Rufus Albarea. I've heard rumors about him." Machias commented. "They say he's the ace of the Noble Faction. Meeting him in person, it's easy to see where that reputation originated." He admitted begrudgingly.

"If I were to ever meet him, I was expecting him to be amicable. However, I did not foresee him being so kind and charming." Laura stated evenly.

"Not to mention he effortlessly thrust Jusis into the role of cute little brother." Fie remarked.

"Hmph. I would've preferred you NOT to have seen that." Jusis confessed, a tad irritated to be seen off-balance and unnerved like that. "Though I must admit, I wasn't expecting him to leave Bareahard just as we arrived. How unfortunate..."

"What do you mean?" Machias questioned.

"Nothing that concerns you." The aloof noble brushed his classmate off with a shake of his head. "We should check in at the hotel and begin our work." He told them, as he turned and made for the entrance.

"W-Wait..." Machias followed after the blonde as he headed into the hotel. He was, of course, ignored.

"Come on. Let's go drop off our things." Rean said then.

Both girls nodded their heads in agreement at that.

* * *

Group A was met with a warm and kind welcome from the hotel staff, the manager himself insisting they were given the most expensive accommodations they had to offer, free of charge, of course. Jusis, obviously, turned them down, then proceeded to instruct them not to give them anything extravagant, just two normal rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. He also went on to apprise them of how he was here in Bareahard not as the son of Duke Albarea, but as a student of Thors and desired to be treated as such. It took some convincing from the blonde, but the staff eventually got the point, and assigned them their rooms.

Group A was currently settling in, Rean, Jusis and Machias just finishing up with putting away their stuff in the room they'd been given, just as Fie and Laura were assuredly doing a few doors down in their own room.

Rean sat upon the bed he'd chosen, while Jusis and Machias stood, the three boys taking a moment to pause, so as to make sure Fie and Laura were done as well, before they headed over to get them and get the day really started. Even with something this benign. the tension between Jusis and Machias was still all too palpable. The raven-haired youth fought back a sigh at that fact. 'This is really not going to be easy...'

The door to their room was opened then, the visitor not bothering to even knock; Fie waltzing on in like she owned the place. She didn't stop there either, as she came directly on over to Rean's bed and unceremoniously plopped her butt down beside him.

Both the bespectacled genius and the aloof nobleman stared at her because of this, understandably taken aback by her sheer audacity, their incredulousness worn openly. They had every reason to, she did, after all, just stroll in like nobodies business, into the room of three individuals of the opposite sex, without so much as bothering to ask or even knock.

"The sheer gall..." Jusis remarked with a shake of his head.

"She's certainly...bold, that's for sure." Machias chose his words carefully, still just a tad intimidated from her words and actions during their trips down into the old schoolhouse. 'We could have been changing for all she knew, and still, she just walked right on in like it was nothing...' He thought. 'Despite learning more about her background, the fact that she used to be a jaeger, she's still so...strange to me. Almost an enigma. '

Rean, however, was hardly shocked by her actions. Still, seeing Machias and Jusis' reactions, well, the humble swordsman couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Yeah, that's Fie for ya. You get used to it, eventually." He assured his male classmates.

"I'm guessing you guys are ready?" Fie spoke then, not bothering to address the reactions she'd gotten out of the other two besides her childhood friend.

"Yeah, we were just about to come and get you and Laura, like we all agreed we'd do. If you couldn't be bothered to wait, that's fine. But when you come to the room of three guys, you're usually expected to knock first." He explained to her, more out of levity than actual want to lecture, as she knew this, and he knew that.

The silver-haired maiden did nothing to address that other than give a simple shrug.

"Do you often find yourself barging into the rooms of the opposite gender?" Jusis posed to her snarkily.

"Nope. Just Rean's." She answered bluntly and honestly.

That got both Machias and Jusis to quirk an eyebrow.

"That's not entirely true. You usually knock." Her best friend contradicted her statement. "Well, I mean, technically. You've knocked lately, at least. I suppose it's true that you never really knocked back when we were kids." He amended his previous statement.

"While we're on the subject of rooms..." Jusis began.

"Yeah, Elliot said something about how you two are apparently accustomed to sharing the same room." Machias finished for his rival.

"I'm not one to indulge in such frivolities as gossip and the like, however, I find myself curious..." The blonde teen preambled. "What could two teenagers get up to, alone, in the same room? Other than illicit activities, of course." He commented with a ghost of smirk.

"W-What!? N-No, i-it's not like that! We haven't shared a room, at least not just the two of us, since we were kids! I swear!" Rean insisted, fighting back a blush. "Besides, we're not-"

Cutting him off, the bespectacled boy spoke, taking up the task of teasing their straight-laced classmate; having picked up on what his less-than friendly acquaintance was doing. "A straight arrow like Rean? Never. I'm sure said affairs were nothing but completely wholesome." Sarcasm rolled off the green-haired teen in waves, as he tried and failed to stifle a grin.

Rean spluttered, as he attempted to correct the two, only to have things escalate further.

Taking a page right out of Crow's book, Fie dived head first into the teasing. "You caught us. We go at it like bunnies anytime we share a room." What she lacked in delivery, having done so in her usual stonefaced and stoic manner, she made up for in indiscernibility, as anyone would be hard pressed to glean whether she was joking, or just straight up stating a fact. In other words, if Machias and Jusis didn't know any better, they might have actually believed her when she said that.

In that moment, Rean looked utterly bewildered and completely embarrassed, causing Fie to grin with mirth, and the two who were almost always at each other's throats, to burst into laughter.

Realizing he was the butt of the joke, Rean opted to stay quiet as he attempted to compose himself. 'Well, regardless of the fact that it was at my expense, at least those two are getting along long enough to do something, even if it is teasing me. Bonus points for Jusis, considering that's not usually his thing.'

As if he'd jinxed it, the laughter came to an abrupt halt then, the aloof noble and the bespectacled boy having realized what they had done; fraternized with the enemy. Perhaps such a comparison was extreme, but with how the two regarded each other, it wasn't that far off.

The stubborn teens hmphed in unison and turned away in opposite directions; acting almost like petulant children.

'Oh come on, how immature can you get!' Rean thought exasperatively to himself, holding himself back from actually saying such a thing aloud.

"Brats." Grin fading; Fie came right out and said what her childhood friend had been thinking, just in far fewer words, the sentiment was the same though.

...

Silence hung in the room for a few moments after that, before being broken by Laura's arrival.

"Since we're all here, let's get to reading our tasks for the day." Jusis said, prompting Rean to hand over the envelope as he did.

Rean did as his fellow noble bid, giving him the envelope after standing up.

As the aloof blonde opened it up and pulled out the list from inside, the rest of the group gathered around him and silently read along with him.

The list contained three tasks. The first was from someone known as Hasan Voltaire, a member of a noble family of some esteem, to procure a rare kind of bath salt not found in most places. The second was from a man known as Bruc, who required assistance in locating and acquiring some sort of semi-precious stone. The third and final task was from the Kruezen Provincial Army's soldiers at Aurochs Fort; the request being that of the monster extermination nature, as apparently there was a violent beast on one of the less traveled paths of the Aurochs Canyon. Atop an overlooking cliff, to be exact, and they wished it to be dealt with.

Below the tasks was additional information regarding the field study itself. Jusis proceeded to read this info aloud, "Study area is defined as a hundred selge radius around north and east Bareahard. Each student must record his or her activities daily, to be remitted to the instructor upon request."

"One request from a noble, followed by one from an artisan...that should certainly keep things interesting." Laura commented.

"Yeah, they seemed to have struck a good balance here." Rean remarked.

"The monster one sounds irritating." Fie complained

"You're right Fie, it does sound troublesome. Since that's the case, I say we leave that one for last, just to be on the safe side." The affable swordsman agreed.

"I'd advise that regardless. The path through the canyon is long and treacherous." Jusis apprised the group. "We should complete our other tasks before we venture out that way, lest we run out of time." He advised.

"That certainly makes sense." The well spoken noble granted.

"Fine by me." The stoic girl said simply.

"Hmph. I have no objections either." Machias let them know.

"Alright then, let's get started."

* * *

They attended to the task requiring them to go to the artisan's street first, finding the store the client owned and paid it a visit. There they met both the client, Bruc, and a man known as Bengt, who, as it turned out, was more their client than Bruc was. How so? As it turned out, the stone they were to locate was for a ring Bengt planned on giving to his girlfriend for when they married in the near future. Bengt had made a substantial journey in search of the perfect ring, and it brought him to Bareahard, where the artisans were renowned far and wide for their skill in gem processing. However, buying one of the local gems on Bengt's income wasn't very plausible.

That said, with Bruc's help, a solution was devised. While a precious stone might be out of his budget, there existed stones just as beautiful, for a whole let cheaper. Semi-precious stone, they were called. Bruc had suggested making a ring with such a stone, more specifically, with one known as 'Dryad's Tear.' The reason it was so much more affordable was simple, it was made up of a very particular tree sap that hardened like stone after being exposed to the air for a long time. Fortunately, many trees that excrete said special sap stood along the North Kreuzen Highway. Even still, despite so many trees having the correct chemical makeup to produce the sap, it was still pretty rare to find one and as such was bound to be a difficult task

As they were told this, a strange man cut into the conversation, introducing himself as one Baron Bleublanc. This man was clearly an eccentric, seeing as he was a self-proclaimed connoisseur and lover of beauty in all of its forms. Why did he butt into the conversation in the first place? To espouse about how it might not be as difficult to find what they sought as it was being made out to be, as he had seen such a stone with his very own eyes naught but moments ago. They questioned him on the matter, to make sure it was actually the the faux-gem they were seeking. He assured them though, that he'd come across that exact stone, but then went on to confess that he was not so familiar with the area that he could actually tell them precisely where he'd seen it, only that it was indeed somewhere along the northern highway.

Group A was dubious of his claims, of course, and furthermore, they multilaterally found this eccentric of a man annoying and or irritating in one way or another, Laura being the sole outlier on this perception of the man. Even still, they appreciated his help and thanked him for it, before setting out to find and retrieve the stone, paying his 'tip' only the briefest of minds.

...

After locating and procuring the stone, the five teens made their way back to Bareahard. They found themselves temporarily impeded, as they were forced to pull back from the road and stand aside from it, as armored cars bearing the mark of the Kreuzen Province made their way through and toward Bareahard themselves. Taking note of the fact that they were the latest models on the market, Fie shared this fact aloud to the others. They needn't ask how she knew that, and as such, the conversation ended shortly thereafter, as the vehicles finished passing and they could continue their return.

...

Returning to the store where their clients awaited and informing them they'd found what they required, Group A were surprised to find Bengt looking rather dejected. They had obviously inquired as to why that was, but, after they'd handed over the stone, they were subjected to the presence of a certain man before they could receive an explanation.

This man, a noble, was demanding that the artisan hand over what he'd come here for. Bruc, of course, obliged the wealthy man and proffered him the Dryad's Tear. The nobleman, Count Gorti, simply disparaged the commonfolk as he all but snatched the stone from the jeweler, going on about how such and such was the reason why commoners never get anywhere in life. The maid, called Nora, at the nobleman's side confirmed the authenticity of the Dryad's Tear and assured her master it was safe to consume. So, he simply did so, much to the shock and vexation of the five students.

Machias was incapable of holding his tongue and found himself halfway through castigating the older man before realizing that he had erred. Count Gorti, thinking himself beyond reproach, simply reminded the teen of his place as a commoner and warned him to not speak out of turn again, lest he find his life cut short, one way or another. Jusis took up the mantle of censure, as he grilled the lower ranking noble on why he did what he did.

Seeing as Jusis was the son of none other than Duke Albarea, Count Gorti was tripping over himself to explain in full, and did as such. He'd bought the stone from Bengt before they had returned with it, not that he'd have taken no for answer, and as such had every right to do whatever he wished with his property. He insisted that he'd done absolutely nothing improper. And as to why he chose to consume it, that decision was based off a ignorant preconceived notion that the Dryad's Tear could prevent the effects of aging. Ludicrous as it was, the noble insisted that it was his prerogative, before hurriedly taking his leave from the establishment, wishing to remain no longer; after he'd received Jusis' permission, of course.

After his departure, Bengt confirmed everything was on the level and he'd received compensation for the stone. That said, he did make it clear he didn't actually wish to sell the stone, but deference to one of higher status was absolutely mandatory outside areas of the Chancellor's, and by extension the Reformist Faction's, reach. And as such, he had no real way to refuse. So he simply bit the bullet and accepted the lump sum of Mira. It would be enough for a deposit on a ring in his local area, at the least.

Giving the students a strained smile, Bengt apologized for the trouble and thanked them for all their help, before bidding them farewell and leaving the store, intending to catch the next train out of Bareahard.

From there, Baron Bleublanc made his presence known once more, and spoke further with the group, his distaste for the turn of events evident. They conversed with him for a minute or so before he took his leave, leaving the five even more frustrated.

In an attempt to relieve some of that frustration, Bruc assured them that, as far as he was concerned, they'd still fulfilled the request. Not that it actually made them feel any better.

The first of the three tasks completed, on a sour note though it may be, the five teenagers moved on to the next one.

* * *

Group A's hopes that the second task wouldn't leave such a bad taste in their mouths, as the first had, was, unfortunately, not entirely realized. As when they met with the client, they were once more met with disregard and denigration for commoners, and themselves by extension by two teens close to their own age. They changed their tune right quick when they realized the likes of Laura Arseid and Jusis Albarea were among the five though. Even going so far as to insist they no longer required their services, as such a menial task, in spite of how difficult it might be, was beneath them. Jusis brushed the ass-kissing off and politely, for him anyway, assured them a request was a request and that they would follow through.

Knowing where the rare bath salts were located, thanks to Jusis' knowledge of where one could find the specific bath salt the two pompous teens wanted, pink salt, they went out to take care of it. As it turned out, it required them to go along a similar path as their monster extermination request. So they would go ahead and take care of both, as such, they set out from the city onto the Aurochs Canyon Path.

...

It worked out where the group of five students came across their extermination target before the pink salt; it was a strange looking creature, to be sure. It stood on it's goat-esque hind legs, it's height surpassing that of any man; it rocked a pair of horns and some scary-looking mandibles, and where it's head ended and it's torso began was anyone's guess. It also sported an oval like mouth full of teeth, more akin to a human than a beast; eight yellow-colored eyes obtruded from it's head, and it's arms were almost pincer like and covered in spikes. Not to mention it's body was chitinous in nature, as if it's entire form was covered in armor. Up close, it was an intimidating beast, to be sure.

Not that Group A seemed to care all that much, having engaged the beast immediately upon sighting it. In an attempt to prove they could work together in spite of the friction between them, both duos of Machias and Jusis and Fie and Laura took point, Rean providing backup as they did battle with the monster. It actually went well, at least for a while. Unfortunately, things went sour roughly halfway into the fight.

It started when Machias was unloading a number of rounds from his orbal-powered shotgun into the creature, causing it to hiss in pain and focus it's attention solely on him. Jusis then used that opportunity to lunge forward and attempt to pierce the beast's chitinous flesh at a particular angle, managing to score a glancing blow at least, blood drawn from the thing. Dodging it's counterattack, a swipe of it's spike riddled arms, Jusis evaded danger and prepared for a follow-up attack. It was in that exact moment, that the link between the bespectacled genius and the aloof noble was severed.

The sudden feeling of their connection shattering, along with the surprise of it, left them in trouble. Jusis in particular, as he became vulnerable in that moment, having hesitated for just a moment because of it. The monster tried to use this to it's advantage, as it attempted to imbed one of it's spiky appendages in the young blonde. Only to be thwarted, as it was assaulted by a string of bullets, courtesy of Fie, the led impacting it's armor-like skin and causing it to verbalize it's anger and pain. Laura rushed in to assist with a follow up strike, allowing Jusis to fall back to a more comfortable distance from their enemy. Delivering a mighty blow to the back of the beast with her bastard sword, Laura inflicted major damage upon the monster, getting it to howl in pain.

The well spoken noble girl then wound up for an additional slash, one that would more than likely kill the beast, or at least maim it to the point where the battle would end soon thereafter. Only for the situation to be exacerbated, as out of nowhere, the combat link she'd formed with Fie completely broke.

Both parties were shocked by this, so much so that they rethought their current course of action. Fie cut her attack off, while Laura retreated from her position, for good reason, as the monster swiped at her with one of it's arms in a desperate attempt to protect it's wounded self. Both girls then glanced toward one and other, locking eyes, bewilderment in their colored orbs, as they realized they were incapable of reestablishing the link.

Rean dashed toward the monster in that moment, blade at the ready. Fie, thinking on her feet, abandoned the thought of reforming the link with Laura, and instead opted to form one with her childhood friend, pulling it off effortlessly. She then followed his lead and ran at the creature, gunswords prepared.

...

The skirmish with the beast went on for another few minutes, before, after a final thrust of Jusis' saber, it fell to the ground, defeated.

As their target lay before them, Group A regrouped and put away there weapons.

Machias and Jusis were both halfway bent over, panting with exhaustion. While Fie and Laura were, well, they were fine, however, they did very noticeably, uncomfortably so, do their best to avoid looking at each other.

"That was...rough." Rean stated, summing up the troublesome nature of the battle they had just finished in a simple manner; just like Fie and Laura, he looked no worse for wear from the fight.

"True. However, we still emerged victorious." Laura said.

"Yeah, doesn't change the fact we shouldn't've had nearly that much trouble killing it." Fie asserted, tone a tad scathing.

Laura opted to not respond, simply keeping the surge of irritation she felt to herself.

Machias and Jusis straightened their postures and collected themselves, before turning toward one and other.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Jusis Albarea!?" Machias exclaimed with anger. "Why did you sever the link?!" He demanded.

"Don't even think of trying to place the blame on me, Machias Regnitz!" Jusis replied with vexation. "YOU were the one who severed the link!" He argued with vehemence.

Without warning, the two charged each other then, stopping at the last second and, in unison, grabbed each other by the shirt collars. Now in each other's face, their heated dispute continued.

"You said you'd cooperate, but you just couldn't do it, could you? You couldn't bring yourself to stoop to the same level as a commoner like me!" Machias asseverated furiously. "You nobles truly are beyond redemption. You're utterly hopeless, through and through!" He proclaimed with disgust.

"You asinine little...!" Jusis bit his tongue to keep from saying something vile, before coming up with a more appropriate response. "Why can't you see that all of this is born from your own prejudice and narrow-mindedness?!" The noble-born boy rebuked.

"That's enough!" Rean shouted at the bickering teenagers.

"We must not fight. It will only exacerbate our situation." Laura attempted to reason, unconsciously doing so with herself regarding her situation with Fie as well.

"Quit it with the arguing. Now's not the time." Fie spoke to them tersely.

"Stay out of this! This is our problem!" Machias pretty much told them to back off.

"Why don't we settle this once and for all? Let me show you how much better than you I really am!" Jusis blustered.

"See?! You admit it! You and your holier than though attitude, it makes me sick! You and your family, the nobility as a whole...you're what's wrong with this damn country!" The bespectacled teenager vociferated, his anger only growing, to the point where he was no longer even thinking clearly. "You don't even have any real power or influence, it all comes from your father! How does it feel knowing that? That you're nothing but an extension of his name?! That you'll always be known as his progeny or his last name?!" He ranted and raved. "You're nothing on your own merits, just some noble's random offspring!"

Jusis' eyes widened to their fullest in that moment, as those words crashed over him and rang throughout his head. _"Useless child, you are unworthy of the Albarea name. And without that, you are nothing."_ Those words stirred something within him, getting similar words he hated ever so much to think about echoing in his head. Jusis' eyes narrowed dangerously, and he snapped. "Silence Regnitz!" He cried with rage, fulminating, he proceeded to deck his rival square in the face, shattering the lenses of his glasses upon impact, and bending the frames at an awkward angle. The dark green-haired teen let go of Jusis' collar and stumbled back from the blow to the face, his destroyed spectacles falling to the ground.

Laura gasped, Fie's eyes widened in surprise, and Rean yelled, "Jusis!"

Instantly regretting his actions, the usually aloof noble realized he had erred. "I-I shouldn't have done that." He said simply. "I apologize." Surprisingly, he sounded more sincere than he had in some time. "I will replace-"

Machias failed to respond to the apology, looking down at his broken glasses as his adversary went on to say something along the lines of paying for replacements. Raising his gaze to look at the blonde once more, it was his turn to snap. "Albarea!" He cried as he charged the noble boy, tackling him to the ground.

The moment they hit the ground, Machias repaid Jusis with a punch of his own. This reignited the blonde's anger, and he responded in kind, and an exchange of blows began.

"Cut it out!" Rean yelled at the brawling teenagers, not that they paid him any heed. "I said stop!"

As they continued to ignore him, trading fists and giving bruises in equal measure, they failed to notice something, something important.

"If they will not listen to reason, we have no choice but to break them up with force." Laura put forth.

"Mm." Came Fie's simple agreement.

Rean opened his mouth to tell them he was on it, when he noticed it out of the corner of his eye; the beast they thought vanquished had begun rising off the ground, clearly very much still among the living. And to make matters worse? As Machias and Jusis struggled with one and other, they found themselves back on their feet, and had maneuvered themselves far closer to what they had thought to be the monster's corpse. It was within spitting distance of them, in fact. Why hadn't they noticed it? Simple, they were far too caught up in their toss-up to pay enough attention to notice the creature creeping back up.

"Listen you two! You have to stop this, now!" He shouted at them once more. "Look behind you!" He attempted to warn them, already rushing to their aid as he did.

Fie, having sensed the faintest trace of life from the monster, realized it was still alive at roughly the same time Rean did, only a few milliseconds behind him in that regard. So she was right behind him. Laura, on the other hand, only realized what was going on a moment afterward, leaving her a few good paces behind as she too came running.

Jusis and Machias were within two inches of each other, attempting to overpower one and other through physical force. The former of the two possessed a bloody nose and a number of scuff marks, while the latter had a number of forming bruises. Not that either party paid much attention to their very minor injuries, as they continued to assault one and other. What did get them to stop, however, was when they finally realized how dire a situation they were in. They noticed the monster, only it was too late, it was already mid-lunge, it's good arm being brought down upon them.

Just before the beast could connect, Rean was there, shoving both Jusis and Machias out of the way, and taking the attack in their place. The beast's arm slammed into the raven-haired teen's back, the many spikes covering it's appendage piercing his through his clothes straight into his flesh, perforating his back. The pain was only worsened, as the creature dragged it's arm downward, creating a number of lacerations, as the holes were ripped into tears in the flesh. Rean endured this silently, falling to one knee.

There was never a possibility of a follow-up to the monster's attack, as Fie had been only microseconds behind Rean. As such, in the middle of it dragging it's arm down, she had leapt toward it, gunswords at the ready, and proceeded to bury them to the hilt in it's skull; the entry point the area of it's facial structure where it's left set of eyes were aligned and the right set of eyes were aligned. Letting out a screech of agony, the monster collapsed onto the ground, dying almost immediately from the steel puncturing it's brain.

"Rean!" Fie cried her childhood friend's name with concern, closing the few feet between her and him immediately.

"N-Nice work." Rean managed to grunt the compliment out the through the pain; Fie crouching down by his side.

"Are you alright!?" Laura inquired with concern, as she came to a stop behind them. Only for her to see the condition Rean's back was in for herself. "Oh my." She gasped.

The two teenagers that had been at each other's throats moments ago, both figuratively and literally, had gotten up off the ground and run over to Rean as quickly as they could.

"Holy shit." Machias exclaimed in disbelief, as he stopped, able to see the damage done.

There were at least a dozen gashes in Rean's back, his shirt and jacket torn up along with his flesh. The wounds varied from two inches in length, to eight inches in length. It wasn't very clear how deep they were, though they were bleeding quite a bit.

"Wh-Why did you...?!" Jusis found himself unable to form a complete sentence, so shocked by what had just taken place.

"I-I'm fine, it's ju-just a scratch." Rean attempted to reassure his classmates with false bravado, face contorting in pain in that moment, making it even less believable.

"Scratch my ass!" Machias vociferated. "Your back is covered in blood!"

He certainly wasn't exaggerating, as the crimson substance covered almost every single solitary inch of the skin of Rean's back.

"This is no time for bluster. We must get you some medical attention, quickly." Jusis insisted.

"I was so sure we killed it! I shouldn't have let my guard down. I just keep...screwing up..." Rean vocalized his disappointment with himself in that moment, all but ignoring the other two males.

"Enough of that. You're not the one who screwed up here." Fie dictated. "Now, let's get your jacket and shirt off, so we can stop the bleeding of that 'scratch' of yours."

...

A few moments later, Rean sat on the ground, his bloody shirt and jacket thrown to the side, as Fie prepared behind him, the young girl on her knees as she brandished some disinfectant, a clean rag and a roll of bandages. Wasting no time, she began to clean the blood from his back, splashing a bit of disinfectant on him when needed.

"You were certainly prepared." Laura remarked, clearly a tad surprised by the fact.

"Where were you carrying that stuff?" Machias questioned.

"We're fortunate you had the foresight to bring such provisions." Jusis commented.

Fie ignored the three entirely, focused solely on attending to Rean's wounds. Almost done with the blood clean up, she began applying the disinfectant directly to the gashes. The affable swordsman powered through the effects of it without complaint; sucking in air through his teeth as he endured the stinging pain he was afflicted with as a result.

"When did you get this proficient in first-aid, Fie?" Rean asked her then, curious.

Unlike with the other three, she answered him without delay. "I've been taking extra lessons from Beatrix in my spare time, in addition to the ones we received as a class." She informed him. "I'm not too great at healing arts, but I still wanted a way to treat you if you ever got hurt. So, since we got back from Celdic, I've been learning how to properly clean and dress wounds, even more serious ones." She explained, as she began wrapping his wounds. "I'm no expert, but I should be just good enough to patch you up to proper standards." She assured him.

Rean laughed at this. "You're amazing, Fie." He commended her.

Fie let a tiny grin of contentment form on her face then. "Thanks."

...

A few minutes later, and Fie was done. For a lack of a better option, Rean redressed in his torn up and bloody shirt and jacket. "Thanks, Fie. I feel a bit better already."

Fie, now crouched beside her childhood friend instead of on her knees behind him, took Rean's right arm and positioned it around her shoulder, allowing her to support his weight and help him off the ground and to his feet. "You're welcome. We're lucky your wounds aren't more serious, though. You should be fine. Even still, we need to get an actual medical expert to look you over, just to be safe. And, to keep you from straining the muscles in your back, you should let one of us help you walk for a while." She instructed.

"Yes Ma'am." Rean replied with a side of mirth.

Machias and Jusis both stepped forward then. "I'm sorry, Rean, I..." Machias began, his remorse written all over his face and showing through with his body language.

"It's our fault that you were injured." Jusis finished, a similar demeanor about him.

"Oh, don't worry about it." Rean assured them with a smile. "It wouldn't have happened if I'd been paying more attention. I'm just glad neither of you were hurt." He kindly told them.

"Why are you so...?" Machias trailed off, unsure of how to voice his feelings on the matter, expression one of confusion and a tad of exasperation.

"..." Jusis averted his gaze in that moment, breaking eye-contact with the diffident swordsman, clearly uncomfortable.

"Seriously, it's alright. You heard Fie, It's worse than it looks." Rean attempted to assuage their sense of guilt. "I mean, I can still continue, can't I?" He queried Fie then.

A bit reluctant, Fie confirms this fact. "Yeah."

"See? It's all good, really." He reiterated.

Neither of the other two boys did more than nod their heads.

"Alright then, let's get moving." Rean suddenly said.

"Are you certain, Rean? If you need a little rest before we go, we can take a few minutes." Laura attempted to offer her fellow sword wielder, clearly concerned.

"We need to report in to Aurochs fort and let them know about the monster we just defeated." Rean replied with a shake of his head. "The sooner we do that, the sooner we can get back to the city." He pointed out.

"Yeah. I suppose it's not a done deal until we file our report." Machias nodded in agreement.

"Aurochs Fort isn't much farther across the canyon. We may need to hurry if we wish to be back in Bareahard by nightfall, however." Jusis apprised.

"If you're sure about this, then let's be on our way." The well spoken swordswoman gave her reluctant agreement, obviously worried about moving her injured classmate so soon.

"Laura, would you mind taking the first shift supporting Rean?" Fie kindly asked of Laura.

The noble-born girl seemed a little surprised by the more than amicable tone, but agreed regardless.

...

As Rean and Laura moved ahead, Machias and Jusis went to follow, only to have Fie stop them short. She said nothing, simply silently holding them up for a few moments. Neither teen knew why, and neither asked, simply waiting for her to tell them what this was all about. And after several moments, she finally did, Rean and Laura drawing close to the point where they'd be out of immediate earshot.

"Rean may not blame you, but I do." Fie bluntly informed them, tone taking on an uncharacteristic vexation.

Needless to say, both teens were taken aback by this, not having expected it from the stoic girl.

"Like it or not, you're the ones accountable for his injuries. If you hadn't been so hotheaded and just plain stupid, he wouldn't have gotten hurt saving your asses." She needlessly reminded them, an emotion approaching contempt discernible in her voice.

The rivals had absolutely no response to her words, incapable, or rather, unwilling, to argue with her. She was absolutely right. He'd tried to warn them, they wouldn't listen, and he ended up getting hurt because of it. There was no denying that fact.

"Get your shit together." The silver-haired maiden berated them. "And I'll make sure to do the same with Laura." She added on a more introspective note.

With that, the ex-jaeger simply turned and walked away, making after Rean and Laura.

Thoroughly reprimanded, the bespectacled genius, after having picked up his broken pair of glasses, and the aloof noble followed after, guilt heavy in their hearts.

* * *

A little later...

The five teens had made some headway to Aurochs Fort, supposedly only half an hour out now, if that. When suddenly, Machias and Jusis came to a stop. The other three came to a stop as well then, mostly because they had been following the two.

The pair of rivals turned concerned eyes Rean's way.

"How's your injury?" Jusis inquired.

"If it's hurting too much, we can stop for awhile, o-or at least slow down a bit..." Machias offered.

Rean chuckled at that. "It's no big deal. Honest!" He assured them. "Fie effectively stopped the bleeding, and it hardly even hurts anymore." It was a white lie, and anyone could see it for what it was. "Besides, this is nothing compared to the injuries I sustained during the last field study. You guys only saw me after I'd been treated some and bandaged up, so you don't know how bad it really was. It was way worse than this, and that's not even counting the bullet wound. Those hurt way more than this does, trust me." That, on the other hand, was the honest to goodness truth. Not that it made the guilty parties feel any better.

"Well, if you're sure." Machias conceded reluctantly

"If you truly are in pain, there's no shame in admitting it." Jusis let him know bluntly.

"Thanks, Jusis. It's not like it doesn't hurt at all or anything, but really, I'm fine." The affable swordsman reassured. "I appreciate the concern though." He said, a she adjusted his position, so as to make sure he wasn't putting too much weight on Fie, who'd taken over supporting him at this point.

"We should keep moving." Fie reminded them all. "The sooner we get to the fort, the sooner we can get a medic to look at Rean's wounds."

"I'm not too sure a military installation will see fit to spare the resources to treat a student, Fie." Rean remarked with dubiety.

"They will. Or at least they will if a certain member of the Albarea family insists that they do." Fie pointedly glared in Jusis' direction then.

"Of course. I'll see to it that they treat him the moment we arrive." Jusis affirmed with the utmost sincerity.

"We should make haste then. The sooner it's looked at, the better." Laura put forth, to which the rest agreed.

So, they continued onward.

...

Group A had finally arrived, the sight of the grand and imposing fort before them. The fort was gigantic, and was built of hardy stone and reinforced with iron and steel in a great multitude of areas.

"So this is Aurochs Fort..." Laura said to herself.

"Not how I was expecting it to look." Fie admitted. "They modified an older fort...a lot." She observed. 'Those fortifications look rather recent.' She mentally noted to herself.

Jusis, Rean noticed, had his mouth slightly agape, and his eyes had widened to some degree. He looked surprised or shocked by something, subtle as it might be in comparison to how someone else might react. "Is something wrong, Jusis?" The diffident swordsman came right out and asked him.

Realizing he was displaying his shock, Jusis collected himself and hastily returned to his normal demeanor. "No. Not at all." He denied. "Let's go give our report, and get you proper medical treatment."

...

Descending the slightly twisting path down to the fort itself, Group A took notice of a train passing by overhead and to their left. The sound of it rolling along on the tracks had drawn their attention first, but once they saw the cargo of the train, well...it retained their attention.

The cargo, despite being covered by large blue tarps, could clearly be discerned as large vehicles, more specifically, tanks.

"I-Isn't that...?" Machias began to question.

"It appears to be a freight train from Bareahard." Laura stated.

"Looks like it's carrying tanks." Rean observed. "Pretty heavily armored ones, at that..."

"Those are the latest models from the Reinford Company." Fie informed them. "They're called 'Achtzehn.'"

Jusis shared no words with the others, silent on the matter, simply watching the train as it chugged on by. After a few moments though, he turned and continued on toward the fort. "Come on. We have things to do." He reminded them.

"Don't have to remind me." The stoic girl retorted, as she urged Rean to get moving again, to which he acquiesced.

"Gah, why does he have to be so...? Grr..." Machias grumbled to himself.

The five were on the move once more, when they were halted by a guard, once they had drawn too close to the front gate.

"Who goes there?"

* * *

Some time later...

After reporting in on their success regarding the monster extermination, and Rean had been looked over and given additional treatment at Jusis' behest, the five left the fort and began their trek back to the city. Not before Jusis had questioned the soldiers on just what was on that train he and his classmates had seen though. The soldiers, all too willing to oblige, excitedly informed the Albarea heir to the contents of the train, and how additional efforts were being made to beef up their offensive and defensive capabilities.

We, of course, being the Provincial Army as a whole, especially the sect. under Duke Albarea's command. Among their info, the soldiers also made it evident, even if they weren't trying to, that one of the reasons these additional armaments were coming in, was to give them the boost they needed to match, or perhaps even exceed, the might of the Imperial Army. Another part of these efforts was the significant fortification the fort itself had undergone while Jusis was away at Thors. And yet another that was coming soon, was the supping up of their anti-air defenses. All in all, a complete upgrade to the capabilities and strength of the Provincial Army.

It was unsettling, to say the least. It was because of this, that Machias felt it prudent to speak up...

"Wait." Machias spoke up, getting the others to stop and cast glances his way, all doing so individually; Rean no longer weighing anyone down.

They were roughly thirty minutes out from leaving the fort, so they still had a good length trek ahead of them before they reached Bareahard. Even still, the bespectacled boy couldn't keep it to himself any longer. "What is the meaning of all this?" He asked outright. "Heavy artillery like tanks, major fortification out of nowhere, state of the art anti-air defenses to come soon...?" He listed off. "If we were on the border with Crossbell or the Republic, maybe I could understand..." He put forth. "But why does the Provincial Army HERE need all this?!" He enjoined to know. "It's utter madness!"

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Fie regarded him like he was stupid. "All that stuff means they're gearing up for war." She spelled it out for him. "Or, at the very least, preparing just in case war breaks out." She amended her statement.

"With who!?" Machias demanded with incredulity.

"Who could it possibly be besides the Imperial Army?" Laura pointed out the obvious, yet, even though she was the one to say it, she too seemed struck by the possibility, bewildered by the implication.

Machias recoiled at that, almost as if he was struck.

"Can you truly be so ignorant?" Jusis questioned rhetorically. "This is the reality of the present situation within the Empire." He apprised his rival candidly. "Tensions between Osborne's Reformist Faction and our Noble Faction grow worse by the day." He starkly elucidated. "Though admittedly, it's been happening mostly under the surface, away from the eyes of the general populace." The aloof noble conceded that point. "But this is just one of the many ways that conflict is manifesting itself."

"I'd heard rumors, but..." Rean trailed off, deciding it'd be better not to finish that thought.

"No doubt my Father was the one who ordered these fortifications." Jusis copped to that immediately, all but sure of it himself. "I have no intentions of giving any comments of my own on his decision." He let them know. "But if you wish to lodge a complaint, I'm quite happy to listen. So?"

Machias sighed quite heavily at that. "No, it's fine." He decided to forget about it for the moment, lest he come down with an ulcer. "The sun's going down. We should get back to Bareahard."

It was at that moment, a very loud sound began blaring through the air, reaching any and all ears within a multi-kilometer radius.

"What's that...?" Rean began to question.

"It sounds like a siren..." Laura opined. "And it seems to be coming from the fort."

Fie was the first to turn around, craning her head upward as she did.

"Fie, what's-" The humble swordsman began to inquire as to what the matter was with Fie, when he too spotted what she had caught sight of.

The other three turned in succession then, curious as to what the other two were doing, and they also found themselves gawking at something upward of their position.

There, relatively high in the sky, was a flying silver object that was eerily similar in appearance to the combat shell Sara had them battle during their practical exam this month, looking like a larger version of the same contraption. And even more peculiar than that? It appeared as though someone was riding on top of the object, as it flew overhead and continued on, until it left Group A's field of vision entirely.

"What was THAT?!" Machias exclaimed with bewilderment. "Are birds like that common around here!?" He questioned dumbly.

"Imbecile. That was no bird." Jusis chided him.

"Looked like someone was riding on it." Fie vocalized her observation.

"Yeah...I think it was a child, actually." Rean reckoned.

"W-What!?" Machias exclaimed with incredulity.

"Are you certain?" Jusis queried with a quirked brow.

"Going by the build, yeah. I didn't get a good look at the face, so I can't be a hundred percent sure...but I think so." Rean explained the reasoning behind his deduction.

"Unbelievable." Laura remarked.

Rean stared after where the child and the contraption had disappeared into the distance, brow furrowing in thought. 'Who was that kid...?'

* * *

In a remote back alley, at the very edge of Bareahard, stood two figures, watching and waiting.

The first figure was obscured completely by a brown cloak, making not only their identity indiscernible, but whether or not they were even male or female.

The second figure, on the other hand, was a different story. He was a familiar man with barely-shoulder length purple hair, and a black and white-themed wardrobe, a pair of silver-framed sunglasses topping off the look. One Warrick, The Silver Haze.

"You're real quiet there, guy." Warrick commented. "You gonna say anything, anything at all? I mean, we've been here awhile, and you haven't spoken a single syllable." He remarked further. "Gettin' real tired of talkin' to myself here." He bitched, a little annoyed, very bored.

The cloaked figure simply ignored him outright.

"Now you've got me wonderin', are you just not much of a talker? Or do you have a problem with me specifically?" The purple-haired jaeger pondered.

The hidden from sight person shifted then.

"Aha! That's the first reaction I got out ya!" The thirty-something man exclaimed. "Guess that means you really do have a problem with me." He surmised. "Did my corp kill someone you know? A friend? Family member? Lover? Give me somethin' to go on here." He whined. "Or, is it just cuz' I'm a jaeger?"

The cloak shifted once more.

"So that's it? Not a fan of jaeger's, huh?" He conjectured. "Too bad for you then. Sucks you got assigned to the same mission I did." He attempted to sympathize, though it was obvious he didn't much care. "Just keep your eyes peeled. We've gotta find that damn br-"

Warrick cut his own words off, as in the distance, a number of feet off the ground and in the sky, he caught sight of a young girl riding atop a flying silver object. "Never mind." He said then, as he rolled his stiff shoulders and the corners of his lips curled upward into a predatory grin. "Target sighted."

The two figures moved to leave the alley and make after the girl and object. And as they did, Warrick made another remark, "I'd heard a lot about this place. The Verdant City, they called it. But it's nothing special, just another city full of lies and bullshit, with the faint smell of steel in the air. That's fine though, when I'm done, the smell of blood will join it. Should smell better then. And it'll definitely be more honest that way."

* * *

END NOTE: Did ya catch that line Jusis recalled in his head from his past? That's not a throwaway, that'll be back. Yeah, you guys thought Rean and Fie would be the only ones with shiny and cool new AU stuff, huh? Not quite. I've decided to expand upon the backgrounds of several members of Class VII, writing certain things I've drawn conclusions about regarding their early lives, but were never openly expressed in the story of the games. Or, at least the first two games anyway. And for those that I find nothing interesting to write about in their pasts, well, I have their futures, the field studies for example, to take advantage of for character development and subplots. So...yeah, not gonna just focus solely on Rean and Fie, don't worry. I tell you this because I'm sure you guys have been wondering why I haven't given more time to some of the other members of Class VII. Oh and before anyone jumps to any conclusions, no, I don't plan on doing anything more regarding Rean and Emma, that little incident occurred for comedic sake...and to...add something, to later Rean and Fie interactions. That's it.

Anyway, it's really early in the morning, I'm dead tired and ready to go to bed. So forgive any spelling errors. Here's the chapter, hot off the presses. Peace out, I am going to bed.


	13. Confidant Among Tensions

Apex85: Alright.

I'm currently coming up with ways to kill several characters. I won't name names, but...they're notable ones, that's all I'll say.

Oh most definitely. Real big surprise indeed.

Glad you get where I'm coming from. There is a lot of pointless antagonism when it comes to nobles, don't ya think? Nobles turn their noses up and shit-talk Rean, and many others, for no good reason as it is.

Yep, that's why it was there. Someone needed to call them out. And since Rean got hurt...well, Fie had some shit to say. Yeah, it probably would have been grounds for some extreme disciplinary action at least, that's for sure.

scrubsergeant: That seems a bit much, but thank you regardless. The fact that a chapter means that much to you is quite a compliment, so yeah, thank you. :)

RedBurningDragon: Pretty much.

No, no she is not.

We'll see.

Oh most definitely. I'm doing my best to come up with them now, and thinking up names for'em too.

Manu259: Glad you see things my way. I agree that he would talk with him after, but extenuating circumstances and just coincidence led to that conversation never really happening. What you said is exactly right though, the scolding definitely played a part in Rean's tendency to reign himself in at all times.

Yep.

I gotcha. Don't worry, even if it was a complaint, I wouldn't mind. Appreciate the clarification though.

I mean, it's pretty obvious who spoke the line and you can probably take a rough guess as to the circumstances. I more just wanted to point out that I plan on doing more with some of the other members of Class VII's pasts than just Rean and Fie.

Most definitely. I've got at least two planned, and who knows, I may or may not come up with more. The second one is definitely funnier in my opinion, but that one's a little ways away compared to the first so, eh.

Cool, cool.

Thank you for the review, and here's the next one.

Jose19: Thank you. I liked that part too.

A lot of things. I think Rean and Fie have some striking similarities in their backstories and circumstances, and fantastic chemistry. That's just the first two that come to mind. I don't give a flying fuck what the so called 'canon' pairing is, and I don't think there are any real reasons for the game to push Rean toward Alisa. So yeah, I respectfully disagree.

I can agree with that to some extent. I think chemistry is a decent reason, but I, personally, don't think there is much chemistry at all between Rean and Alisa, which is just one reason why I don't agree with that pairing in any way, shape or form.

Good to know, I guess. Emma is my least favorite, excluding Alisa who is definitely my least favorite, but I can see why Emma would be your favorite, along with Laura.

Yeah, approaching spoiler territory, so let's not go there. But yeah, I agree.

Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. huntermartin9414 and Nonexistent Existence, thank you!

So remember how I said the really good stuff didn't come till the next one? I was wrong. Some of it comes in this one, most of it comes afterward. Why? Because the chapter got split, that's why. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy it. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 ** _ACT I - CHAPTER II - PART V_**

 **...**

After having made a short stop to collect the pink salt, the five students returned to Bareahard posthaste. As they were now once more within the bounds of the city, they allowed themselves a moment of respite.

"The sun's almost fully set..." Rean commented; the sky a shade of deep purple with splashes of orange about.

"I do believe we've finally finished our field study activities for the day." Laura opined. "Once we return the bath salt to our client, at least." She amended.

"Thank goodness for that. I'm exhausted." Machias let them know with a sigh.

"And I'm starving." Fie interjected.

"Whatever that strange flying object was, it doesn't seem to have come anywhere near the main thoroughfare, at least." Jusis noted.

"Fortunately not." Laura concurred.

"The city wouldn't be this calm if it had." Machias added.

"Yeah, it's probably long gone now." Rean put forth. Yet even still, he couldn't help but feel this nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Doing his best to ignore said feeling, he continued, "We should head back to the hotel before it gets too dark. So we should get this salt back to those guys real quick." He pointed out. "There's a lot to put in our daily reports, after all."

"Indeed." Machias agreed with a nod.

"We can figure out how best to summarize the day's events over dinner." Laura remarked.

All five teenagers in agreement, they moved to report the success of their final task.

...

After turning the pink bath salt over to the two pompous noble teens, wrapping up the last of their tasks for the day, Group A returned to the hotel. Only to be stopped at the entrance, as a grey, extravagant looking limousine pulled up behind them, attracting their attention and piquing their curiosity. They turned, from where they stood on the steps, to look at the vehicle.

"That's...Father...!" Jusis spoke without thinking.

"What!?" Machias exclaimed, only to be ignored as the blonde hurried over to the limo.

As the usually aloof noble came to a stop in front of the furthermost door to the back of the automobile, the window was rolled down, revealing the face of one Duke Albarea.

"I'm terribly sorry for not coming to greet you, Father." Jusis apologized. "Although I'm here but for a short time, I, Jusis, have returned to-"

"Enough." Duke Albarea interrupted him, not caring for his prattling. "As I informed Rufus, you may do as you wish while you're here." He let his progeny know. "However, you will do nothing that brings shame upon myself, nor upon the Albarea name. After all, your days of uselessness are behind you, aren't they?" He queried his son coldly.

Unbidden, images of Jusis' childhood flashed before his mind's eye in that moment.

* * *

 _"You worthless child!" The Duke screamed with fury, as he backhanded his youngest son across the face, knocking the child to the floor from the force of the blow._

 _In spite of himself, the young Jusis began to cry, from the stinging pain consuming his face, and the regret for angering and flustering his father. He hadn't meant to upset him, he'd just let slip some of the things his father had told him about the imposing man that was visiting them this day. He didn't think it'd be such a big deal, his father was always right, so the things he said were always correct, right? So why was he so mad that his son would repeat some of them to the face of the very person he'd said them about?_

 _"How dare you embarrass me like that! And in front of that damned Osborne!" The Duke's expression was one of anger, and frustration, his chagrin worn openly for any and all to see. He was not a father disciplining his son in this instance, rather, he was a noble punishing a brat who'd dare to speak out of turn._

 _"You're petulant, dimwitted, lack any and all grace, hell, you can hardly even hold a sword yet!" The Duke lambasted his bastard. Taking a moment to lower his voice and soothe some of his anger, the older blonde man's tone went ice-cold._ _"Useless child, you are unworthy of the Albarea name. And without that, you are nothing." He repudiated the boy imperiously, all but terrorizing the poor kid._

 _Nine year old Jusis could do nothing in response but to sob harder._

* * *

"Of course, Father." Jusis finally responded to his sire, tone all but dead in that moment, lacking almost all emotion. The images started to fade then, thankfully.

"Please be ever mindful of your position and what you represent." Duke Albarea reminded his child, tone neutral.

"Yes, Father." Jusis assured his father with a nod, the emotion slowly returning to his voice. "Umm...would it be too much to ask for you to introduce yourself to my classm-" He began, attempting to request his father meet his peers, tone almost timid and yet apprehensive at the same time.

"I have no time for pleasantries." Duke Albarea denied his son outright, not even bothering to preamble. "Should I require anything of you, you will be contacted." He informed his youngest son curtly, before the window was rolled up and blocked the man from view entirely.

Jusis stepped back then, as the limo proceeded to drive off.

"What was that all about?" Fie bluntly queried.

"I find myself curious as well." Laura admitted.

"That was the almighty Duke Albarea, was it?" Machias thought aloud. "The head of one of the Four Great Houses, and the man in charge of this entire province..."

"Indeed." Jusis confirmed, as he walked back over to his classmates. "And by some strange twist of fate, my father as well." The faint note of bitterness in his tone as he said his caught the others off guard.

Machias and Laura quirked their brows at this, but said nothing. Fie simple acted as if she hadn't heard him. Rean, on the other hand...

"Jusis...?" The affable swordsman spoke his classmate's name with concern.

"I've spoken out of turn." Jusis spoke in realization of his error. "Forget I said that." He asked of them with sincerity. "Today's workload has made me hungry. Shall we return to our rooms, then find something to eat?" He changed the subject entirely, returning to his usually collected and aloof manner.

"That sounds good to me." Laura replied, no intention of pressing her fellow noble on this clearly sensitive issue.

Machias remained silent, sharing Laura's sentiment.

"Starving." Was all that Fie said in response, her tone childish in nature.

Jusis could not help but laugh out loud at this.

* * *

After the group took much needed showers and took a short rest, they adjourned to a restaurant in the central plaza for dinner. The head chef, apparently, was fond of Jusis and the group received a table outside with a nice view as a result, as well as some of the best dishes the establishment had to offer. Needless to say, they enjoyed themselves.

"Aah, the breeze here feels wonderful." Machias commented.

"The food was delicious as well." Laura added.

"Definitely." Fie agreed.

"I can see why this restaurant is so popular with the nobles." Rean said then "Do you dine here often, Jusis? I mean, what with the warm reception we received, I assumed..."

"I do." Jusis confirmed. "The chef has been good to me since I was a child." He explained. "I was practically raised on this food."

"Hmph. How typical. Even in their dining habits, you nobles subsist on unnecessary luxury." Machias remarked with a shake of his head. "Though I can't deny the quality of the food."

"It wasn't just tasty, but...warm, too." Fie opined. "It reminded me of Lucia's cooking."

Rean chuckled at this. "I'll be sure to let mom know that. I'm sure she'll be delighted to hear you said so."

Fie simply nodded her head at that.

"I wonder what Group B is doing right now." The bespectacled genius wondered aloud suddenly.

"I'm sure they're hard at work over in Saint-Arkh. Considering it's Elliot, Gaius, Alisa and Emma, I'm certain there's nothing to worry about." The affable swordsman said in response to his friend's musings.

"Mm." The stoic ex-jaeger hummed in agreement.

"You're right." The aloof noble spoke. "I'm confident that Group B gave their absolute best in all of their tasks today." He continued. "But can we say the same? That we could have done no better?" He posed to the group as a whole.

"And who's fault is that?" The silver-haired maiden queried rhetorically, a tad biting in her tone, as she glanced between both Jusis and Machias.

The dark green-haired teen began to look quite uncomfortable at that.

"I concede the it was our failure that proved most inhibiting to our group's performance." The blonde teen owned up to his part in the mess. "That said, surely you know we weren't the only ones at fault. You two are partially to blame as well." He asserted, pointedly shifting his gaze between both Fie and Laura.

"I...I cannot deny your claim, it is completely valid." The well spoken swordswoman conceded immediately, looking abashed. "We failed to keep our link established, just as the two of you did."

"Yeah, I suppose you got us there." The youngest of the group admitted. "Still, even after our's got cut, we still helped. It took you two so long to regroup that the fight was nearly over by the time you rejoined the fray." She bluntly reminded them.

"Touche." Jusis replied evenly. "Yet, my point still stands."

"I just want to state, for the record, I recognize the fact that we screwed up and do not share Albarea's sentiment about the two of you." Machias made this clear. "Though, I do have to say...it's really strange to see you two acting like this."

That comment got the only two females of the group to cast their gazes his way.

"What I mean is...normally you two are almost unfazeable. Giant monsters, our instructor's wacky antics, combat in general, you two are always calm and collected. But not only were you flummoxed earlier today when your combat link was severed, you also struggled against the creature we fought against. You did the same with the three fiends we fought down in the old schoolhouse earlier this month." Machias prefaced, before saying, "That's not like you two. You've been acting like...well, for a lack of a better comparison, you've been acting a lot like the two of us." He was, of course, referring to his rival and himself.

"Hmph. Speak for yourself." Jusis interjected, earning himself a glare from the class vice-president.

Neither Fie or Laura had a response to that, simply glancing at one and other, before looking away entirely. Not avoiding looking at one and other, rather just not wanting to meet the other's gaze.

After a few moments, it became clear Laura and Fie weren't going to broach the subject. Since that was the case...

"We'll just have to try and make up for our shortcomings today in the day we have left." Rean filled the silence. "Besides, we had the chance to catch sight of a far bigger problem." He brought up, getting their collective attention.

"Yes, that's true." Laura agreed.

"First we find out taxes are rising throughout the province, then we find out the military is being expanded on a grand scale..." Machias reiterated the facts. "Don't even try to tell me the two aren't related!" He exclaimed then, gaze locking onto Jusis, much more fervor in his voice then a moment ago.

"I have no intention of denying it." Jusis acknowledged the correlation between the two openly, with the caveat of averting his gaze from the others. "But you're only looking at one side of the coin." He continued, closing his eyes for a moment. Opening them back up, electric blue met green, as he made full eye-contact with Machias. "Exactly how many Achtzehn tanks do you think the Imperial Army has under their control?"

"W-Well..." The bespectacled teenager hesitated, taken off guard by this question.

"A hundred or two, I'd guess." Fie supplied.

Jusis nodded his head at this. "Precisely. The Imperial Army's military capabilities are enormous. This nation has one of the most powerful armed forces on the continent." He stated. "And roughly seventy percent of it is under the Chancellor's control. Tell me, how is the Noble Alliance supposed to counter that?" He inquired pensively, almost rhetorically, gaze sweeping across all four of his classmates in that moment.

Silence overcame the group of five then for a number of moments...

"Considering both sides are comprised of Erebonians, it all seems so wasteful..." Rean remarked discontentedly. 'Not that war is something particularly productive in the first place.' He thought to himself.

"I concur." Laura vocalized her agreement, of a similar mindset to her fellow swordsman. "Our own countrymen should not be steeling themselves to go to war against one and other. It is completely senseless." She expostulated, clearly distressed at the thought.

"Senseless or not, doesn't change the fact that it's going to happen eventually." Fie stated matter-of-factly.

"Pardon?" Laura queried, brow furrowing in confusion, full attention now on her fellow female.

"If they're dead set on fighting, not much can stop them." The silver-haired maiden elucidated. "They're certainly not going to listen to some students, that goes for either side."

"That sounds like nothing more than an excuse not to try." The blue-haired swordswoman responded bluntly. "When one's country is stricken with unrest, it is the duty of anyone with any sense of honor, let alone those in positions of power, to quell it; calm the people before strife can take hold and infighting begins. You must always intervene before lives are lost." The noble-born girl spoke in such a way, so confidently and clearly, it was as if she was orating.

This manner of speech irritated the stoic ex-jaeger, the young girl feeling almost as if she was being preached at, a noticeable frown forming on her face. "Take it from me, when people get it in their heads that their only option, their only way out of whatever situation they find themselves in, is to fight, they will. You can't reason with them, blackmail them, bribe them or even scare them into backing down. One way or another, they'll fight, and it'll be bloody." She expounded her previous point, managing to keep her irritation from leaking into her tone.

Brow furrowing further, this time in aggravation, Laura allowed some heat into her voice. "Those are nothing more than the words of one with a defeatist attitude and a pessimistic view of the world. I never took you for someone with such a weak disposition." She remarked with frustration. "That kind of thinking is detrimental to a peaceful and harmonious way of life. One must always strive to better themselves and assist those around them, especially their countrymen. What you are spouting is antithetical to that way of life. Even if it is as you say, futile, someone still has to try!" She proclaimed passionately.

Frown deepening into a scowl, Fie was quick to rebut. "That's a great ideal to have, but it isn't realistic. For every person who thinks the way you do, there are ten others who are wise to the ways of the world, and know all too well that it doesn't work like that." She argued. "The world isn't black and white, there are many shades of grey between. I'm sure you already know that. My point is this, people fight, people kill, it happens all the time. Even now, there are people somewhere in the world fighting and killing each other, and it could be over just about anything. And I know, from personal experience, that once a conflict like this has begun brewing, nothing short of complete surrender of the opposite side will stop them from going to war. Good and evil, kind and cruel, it doesn't matter. All the best intentions in the world won't stop this from happening, that's a fact. Unless you have the ear of the chancellor himself, or the ears of the patriarchs of the four-great houses, your position of calming the people and quelling the rumblings of war, is nothing short of naive." She explicated, clearly agitated with her fellow female.

"I think that's the most I've ever heard her say at once, or...ever, for that matter." Machias said dumbly, genuinely bewildered by the amount the usually stoic girl was speaking at the moment.

"I'd call you stupid for bringing that up right now, but I can't help but agree. Fie is usually a girl of few words, to see her getting riled up is...a bizarre sight, that's for certain." Jusis found himself begrudgingly agreeing with his rival.

Rean sat back and watched, opting to remain silent. 'This is the first time they've been open with each other since Laura found out Fie used to be a jaeger, back when this whole thing started. It might be good for them to finally address their grievances with one and other.' He reasoned.

Laura looked rather affronted by Fie's words, the expression of offense on her face a new and unusual look for the noble girl. "I am not naive! You are simply jaded!" She retorted. "You speak of war and death so openly and freely, but even having once been a jaeger, surely you know taking someone's life isn't so easy. The people of this country aren't as weak-willed and unscrupulous as you make them out to be!" The blue-haired teenager maintained her stance on the people of her home country. "I am not credulously suggesting war doesn't happen or won't happen in the future, neither am I saying that people won't continue to die for a myriad of reasons; the people of Erebonia no exception. I fully understand these facts and possibilities, and I accept them. Conflict and death do not scare me, however, we must not simply idle and allow such events to occur! My own sense of justice would not allow me to! If at all possible, stopping the conflict building beneath the surface of our country should be our number one priority. You don't really seem to care, though. And I am immeasurably vexed by your fatalistic attitude on the matter!" She laid out her feelings on the subject openly, her emotions completely unrestrained at this point, evidenced by the way she slammed her hands down on the table as she abruptly stood from her seat.

"My 'attitude' on the matter is simply me being realistic. People inherently have an 'us' versus 'them' mentality. And when people inevitably fall into that, and tension and festering hate and resentment are thrown on top of it, it's only a matter of time before some kind of battle breaks out. Big or small, doesn't matter. Skirmish or war, doesn't matter. People will fight and people will die. It is stupid and painful to think otherwise, especially for someone like you. That's a big reason why jaeger corps even exist in the first place!" The silver-haired maiden contested, allowing herself to show her own aggravation as her tone became heated. "Human animosity is a hell of a thing. Trust me, I've had to bloody my hands because of it more times than I can count." She added then bitterly, almost snidely.

"Fie." Rean called her name in a cautionary manner, letting her know she was skirting the line of going too far.

Face contorting in anger, Laura found herself with more indignation than she had ever felt before, and in turn, more than she could possibly handle. So, she simply snapped. "Of course you would say that! All you know is war! Excuse me for not taking advice on preventing conflict from someone who grew up thriving on it! It would be rather backward to listen to counsel on keeping the peace, from a girl who prospered from the deaths of those around her!" She remonstrated vehemently, shocking all those present.

Fie recoiled at that, as if she'd been struck; hurt written all over her face and emanating from her body language.

Machias, eyes wide with surprise, found himself gaping at Laura's sudden outburst.

Jusis' surprise was evident as well, eyes just as wide, mouth slightly ajar as well.

"Laura!" Rean called her name with authority. "That was completely unnecessary!" He rebuked her harshly, his anger broadcasted by his narrowed eyes and body language.

Laura herself almost recoiled at that, as the gravity of what she had just said hit her. "I-I...I didn't...I shouldn't have..." The usually well spoken swordswoman found herself stammering then, guilt flooding her as she came to grips with the awful things she'd said, remorse overcoming her anger in that moment.

Before the situation could escalate even further, or deescalate for that matter, "Ah, the travails of youth! How noble and beautiful they are!", came an eccentric voice, cutting into the very heated and tense dispute.

All eyes went to the owner of the voice then, the teenagers laying eyes on a man with light skin, eyes a shade of yellow and long violet colored hair styled with bangs and a long ponytail in the back. His attire was that of a very noble-like white suit with accompanying purple scarf.

Recognizing him immediately as the gentleman they had bumped into twice earlier that day, they quickly quieted and calmed their schism, so as to not embarrass themselves, and more importantly, bring shame to their school, as seeing some of it's students act in such a unruly way surely would. As such, Laura sat back down, and the entirety of the group projected a calm and collected facade.

"Baron Bleublanc, I believe?" Rean addressed him directly.

The man known as Bleublanc, standing a fair few feet away, approached them then, stopping just at the edge of the table they were gathered around.

"Haha. It's such an honor that you would remember a mere baron!" Bleublanc said with gratitude. "I see you've completed a hard day's work already. How splendid!" He gushed.

"Yes, nearly." Machias confirmed, recovering from his previous state without missing a beat, just as the others had. "We still have our reports to write up, but those aside, we're done."

"What about you?" Fie inquired, once more her disinterested self, only the faint traces of sadness visible in her eyes.

"Alas, I have yet to be blessed with the fateful encounter I seek." Bleublanc lamented. "The search for beauty is filled with perils and obstacles...yet that is precisely what makes it all so beautiful!" The baron flipped his hair back in a somewhat exaggerated manner then.

The three boys of the group sweatdropped at that, the girls too busy putting up a front to be affected so.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay." Jusis offered pleasantly.

"Haha. I most certainly will." Bleublanc assured. "Though it truly is a pity that the clear air of this verdant city should be tinged, if but faintly, with the scent of steel..." He commented offhandedly.

The aloof noble's eyes noticeably widened at these words.

"I'd heard that Duke Albarea was a man of many interests, but I was unaware he counted playing with fire among them." Bleublanc rambled on. "I don't condemn him for it, though! For only by playing with fire can one create fireworks! Would you not agree, my friends?" The flamboyant noble queried the teenagers in a leading manner.

"I don't like your implications." Machias responded, eyes narrowing.

"And I find this line of conversation repugnant!" Laura suddenly vociferated, visibly miffed, taking everyone by surprise once more.

Realizing how she had reacted and how that might reflect on not only the academy, but her father as well, the well spoken swordswoman decided it was best to make a hasty exit. "My apologies. I should not have raised my voice so." She apologized for her outburst, tone much calmer than before, as she stood from her seat once more. "If you'll excuse me, I think I shall turn in early tonight." She politely excused herself, before pushing her chair in and making to leave the outside dining area of the establishment.

"Oh, please do pardon me, young lady! I meant no harm, I assure you." Bleublanc tried to convince the young noble girl.

"I understand. I am sure you meant nothing by it. I am sorry for how I reacted. Today has just been a long day. Even still, I'm tired and wish to adjourn to my room. Goodnight, Baron Bleublanc." She brushed him off as politely as humanly possible, before continuing on her way toward the hotel.

Those left behind collectively watched after the blue-haired girl as she walked away for several moments. Until, that is, the flamboyant man turned back toward the four students and spoke directly to hem once again. "My apologies for upsetting the young lady. Furthermore, I wish you well on your remaining day here. May you reveal to me the beauty I seek by its end!" He exclaimed jovially, clearly unaffected by what had just happened. "Be it the lovely luster of success or the sad splendor of failure..." He added, as he bowed like a proper gentleman, before taking his leave.

...

"Grr...who does he think he is?!" Machias thought aloud, once the noble was out of earshot. "This is why I can't stand nobles!" It took him a second, but he quickly realized his folly, as not only was another one of his classmates a noble he had no problem with, there was one sitting across from him now that he considered his friend. "Er, I mean, most nobles, at least." He amended his previous statement, a tad embarrassed.

"Hmph. I thought you might say that." Jusis said then. "If it makes you feel better, though, I have my doubts as to whether that man truly is a noble to begin with."

"What...?" Machias questioned, clearly confused by that.

"Something's not right about him, that's for sure." Fie opined, voice a tad lower and monotone than usual.

"Yeah, something about him feels off to me, too." Rean voiced his own suspicions. "But what's even stranger...is that he knew we only have one day left here." He pointed out.

"Y-You're right!" The bespectacled genius exclaimed in realization.

"We told him of our field study, but never once did we divulge how long we intended to remain here." The blonde teen added.

"Between him and that kid atop that flying silver object...we've been crossing paths with a lot of strange people today." The stoic ex-jaeger remarked, still rather muted in comparison even to her usual demeanor.

A number of moments of silence passed between the four then.

...

"Well, regardless, tomorrow's the end of our stint here." Rean mentioned to them. "We can't let ourselves get distracted. We still have a lot to do." He told them

"Indeed." Jusis concurred.

"We should return to the hotel and begin work on our reports, then." Machias put forth.

Fie simply nodded.

* * *

 _Thump...thump...thump..._

 _Corpses of all shapes and sizes were strewn about, littering the battlefield. A terrain of nothing more than rubble and scorched earth; blood was splattered and smeared in every possible direction, the entirety of the war-torn patch of land painted red._

 _Body aching, muscles on fire, exhaustion having long since set in. Thump, thump..._

 _The sole living being among all this death, was a silver-haired child, barely eleven years of age. This kid was surrounded on all sides by twisted and maimed carcasses, the states of them ranging from missing limbs, decapitated heads, holes blown in their abdomens, guts literally torn out and strewn about, some even lacked their skin entirely, having been flayed alive. It was a complete horrorshow, the stuff of nightmares. And yet...this young one felt no fear._

 _Crimson liquid covered the young one's hands, running down from the items they grasped so tightly. The ruby substance also dripped from the youth's face, a trail of it running diagonally across; the origins of the dripping substance being from where it stained their hair. Thump, thump, thump..._

 _In spite of all the carnage around her, this eleven year old girl found herself incapable of tearing her eyes away from the one spot just in front of her. Orbs of striking yellow-green, she stared, catatonic in her state, at what lie before her. A lone cadaver...that of a young boy, even younger than her, maybe nine years old at most. Unlike the other bodies all around, no severe disfigurement or horrible maiming had befallen him. No, his death was clean in comparison, two simple stab wounds centered on his chest. The weapons that took his life? They lie in the white-knuckled grip of the child-jaeger, blades of the gunswords bathed in blood, his blood._

 _Thump! Thump! Thump! Her heart pounded away._

 _In the boy's hand, an unlit match, and on his body, a belt of dynamite wrapped around his stomach._

 _Her heart felt like it was in her throat, her stomach was queasy and wanted nothing more than to empty itself of it's contents. Her mind was moving at a snail's pace, and her body hurt and ached all over. All of this though, was drowned out and smothered by the overwhelming feelings of disgust and hatred she felt...for herself._

 _Footsteps, the sound of footsteps reached her ears then. "It's time to go, Fie. Our work is done here, the battle is finished." One voice said to her._

 _"Are you okay?" A second voice inquired._

 _"Any serious injuries?" A third voice further questioned._

 _"We should get moving, it would be foolish to stick around here any longer." A fourth voice gave it's two cents._

 _"Here Fie, I'll help you up." A fifth voice said kindly._

* * *

A few hours after dinner...

Fie's eyes opened at once, as if she had simply been blinking instead of sleeping. 'I haven't thought about that job in a long time...' She thought to herself as she sat up in her bed; attempting to force down the resurfacing feelings of revulsion.

The memory, played out in dream format, had awoken the ex-jaeger from her slumber. And now, it was doubtful she'd be able to get back to sleep, at least for awhile anyway. "Shouldn't go waking Laura up." She said to herself with a sigh. "Best figure out what to do till I can get back to sleep..." She continued, as she got out of the hotel bed across from her classmate's. "Maybe Rean is still up..."

...

Just down the hall, in the boys' room...

"Can't get to sleep?" Rean queried from where he lie in his own bed.

"I could ask you the same." Jusis replied from his bed, to the left of the one Rean was in. "You aren't going to tell me the bed's too hard for you, are you?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." The affable swordsman responded with a laugh. "I've never slept in a bed this high-class in my life. Not even back at home." He added.

"And yet you're the son of Baron Schwarzer..." The aloof noble said to himself with a shake of his head. "You've not lived the life one might expect of a boy from a noble family." He stated simply.

"Yeah, that's just how my dad is. 'A lord should live like his people, not above them.' That's how he always put it." The black-haired boy told him.

"I see..." The blonde teen paused then, before following up with, "It sounds as though you have a good family."

"Yeah. I'm very thankful for my upbringing." The raven-haired teenager said with a small smile, not that the other participant of the conversation could see it.

A brief moment of silence passed between the two then.

"Aren't you going to ask?" Jusis suddenly questioned. "I assumed you'd be curious about that brief exchange with my father earlier."

"I wasn't really sure you'd want me to bring that up." Rean admitted. "You obviously get along really well with your brother, but...I didn't get that same sense with the duke. Almost the opposite, in fact." He put forth. "Has he...always been like that?" He inquired.

"As far back as I can remember." The saber wielder answered honestly. "I suppose he just has little respect for a son born to a commoner."

"What?" Came Rean's eloquent response, sitting up from his prone position in the bed and finally looking over at the second party of the conversation.

"My brother and I have different mothers." Jusis disclosed, tone even. "He was born of my father's legal wife...a noble who still lives to this day. My own mother, however, was a commoner...and she passed away eight years ago." He further confessed, only the slightest trace of sadness contained within his voice. "In other words, I am his bastard son." He summarized.

"I had no idea...wait, so was the chef we met earlier..."

"He's my uncle, on my mother's side." He informed. "Perhaps that's why he's always been so good to me...or perhaps he's simply compelled to treat me as I 'deserve' to be treated, being the son of the duke." He entertained that thought with a pinch of bitterness.

"No, that can't be." The diffident swordsman denied with a shake of his head. "I don't blame you for being a little cynical, but there's no need to be quite so hard on yourself."

"I suppose you're right." The noble-born boy conceded.

"I'm sure you have your differences...but you do get along with your brother, right?" The dark-haired teen inquired for clarification.

"You could say that. He's treated me well ever since I was taken in eight years ago. He was the one who taught me my swordsmanship, and who trained me in the ways of court etiquette." The regal boy apprised.

"Haha. I knew it."

"Pardon?"

"There's just something...honest, I guess you could say, about the way you fight." Rean opined. "It shows that whoever taught you was someone you really trusted." He further presumed. "When we first met this afternoon, I had a hunch he might have been the one."

The second party in this discussion went quiet then.

"What's wrong?" Rean inquired.

"Hmph. Nothing. You just keep reminding me how...unlike a noble you truly are."

He chuckled at that. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

Another moment of silence then.

"Are your injuries from this afternoon on the mend?" Jusis suddenly inquired.

"Yeah, for the most part. They still ache to be sure, but all in all, I'm fine." Rean answered honestly. "It's not what's keeping me up, if that's what you're wondering." He assured him.

"That's good." Jusis said with a nod.

Another few moments of silence passed then, only these felt much more uncomfortable than the others. Why? Because of the subject matter Jusis next broached.

"Still, from where I stand, you are something of a danger to yourself." The aloof noble stated bluntly.

"Am I...?" Was Rean's simple questioning response.

Finally joining his classmate in an upright position, Jusis sat up in his bed and turned his gaze to his fellow male. "On the day of the entrance ceremony, when the trap door opened up beneath us...you acted instantly to protect Fie. There wasn't even a moment's hesitation." He recalled clearly. "In most cases, one would reflexively act to protect himself. It's part of man's natural survival instinct. Yet you put another before yourself, not even pausing to question the validity of that decision." He encapsulated the adopted noble's behavior. "From what I understand, you did the same for her again during your first field study, after having already done it for Elliot. And now, once again, you do it, only this time, it was for us." He rattled off his understanding of his classmate's reckless activities. "I'm sure most people would see these as acts of selflessness and sing your praises for them...but to me, it comes across as...abnormal. Perhaps even twisted." Jusis candidly and rather brusquely put forth his opinion.

Taken aback, Rean couldn't help but laugh out loud at this. "I...I don't really know how to respond to that." He admitted. "I wasn't expecting you to see through me so...clearly." He confessed. 'Though that aspect is all he seems to have picked up on about me, at least for the most part.' He mentally reassured himself.

"I owed you as much, for having seen through me first." Jusis retorted with a ghost of a grin.

"I do have to correct you on something, though." Rean said then.

"Yes?" The blonde replied with curiosity.

"The times I protected Fie...they're different. I didn't put myself in harms way for the same reasons with her, as I did with the others. I...it's not that Elliot isn't my friend, and it isn't like I didn't want to keep you guys from getting hurt, because he is, and I did. I didn't throw my body in the path of Grunoja or that monster today for some arbitrary reason and you guys just happened to be the ones who benefited from it, though I can see how it might be perceived that way. I genuinely didn't want anyone to get hurt. Though I'd be lying if I said that was only reason for my actions. And I'd also be lying if I said I wouldn't do it for a stranger just as readily as I did it for the two of you. Fie though...it's not the same. She's...special." Rean expatiated on the matter, allowing himself to be open with Jusis, at least on this.

"Is this the part where you confide in me about how madly in love with her you are?" Jusis inquired teasingly, his amusement abundant in that moment, a mirthful smirk gracing his face.

"W-What!?" The incredulous look the swordsman gave him at those words only served to increase the blonde's amusement. "What on Earth would give you that idea!?"

"Forget it." Jusis shook his head then, letting the other boy know he'd drop it.

Drop it he did, as silence descended upon them for the umpteenth time. It was the most pleasant silence of the bunch, however, as it was clear to both parties, they'd formed a bond this night.

"Still..." Jusis started, breaking the silence. "...even with the instances regarding Fie serving as an exception, the point stands. Perhaps more so, even. You need to be more cognizant of the effects your actions have on those around you." He advised his new friend. "If not for your health, then for your...reputation? That selflessness of yours can just as easily be perceived as arrogance, after all." He counseled.

"I know it can. And you're not the first person to tell me that." The dark-haired seventeen year old informed him. "'What's the point of saving others if you can't spare even a moment to save yourself?'" He recited these words from memory. "That's what my old master always used to say to me."

"Was it, now?"

The two teenagers shared a laugh then. Little did they know, that the third occupant of the room had heard their every word. His back to them, turned over on his side, he appeared so sound asleep that he was dead to the world. He'd wanted to join in the whole discussion, but found himself not wanting to intrude on such personal matters, especially as they concerned more than his friend, relating to his rival as well. His sense of guilt was also a determining actor in keeping him from speaking up, the awful feeling having not faded much at all since Rean had protected him and his rival from the monster. 'I'll bring it up with them sometime tomorrow.' He decided then, before closing his eyes and finally attempting to sleep.

"I suppose we both have some things we need to work though." Jusis capped their conversation with this remark.

"I suppose you're right." Rean acknowledged, as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "That said, I could use some air." He said as he stood and moved to collect and put on his uniform. "I'll be back in a bit. After all, can't stay up too late, otherwise we'll be dead to the world tomorrow. And that wouldn't do, considering we're trying to outdo Group B, after all."

"I'd hate to be so tired as to limit my potential." Jusis agreed as he lied back down.

"Hear, hear." Rean retorted with a pinch of mirth, as he moved to the most private area of the room and changed into his uniform.

...

After changing and wishing his new friend goodnight, Rean had opened the door out of the room and into the hallway only to be met with the sight of Fie standing there, similarly dressed in her uniform. Eyes widening a tad; Rean failed to truly react beyond such a minute gesture, rather used to the young girl popping up out of nowhere in such a manner. Though he did only faintly hear Jusis' reply to his words because of this.

Rather than greet her, Rean simply exited the room, Fie backing up to allow him space to do so. Closing the door behind him, he gave his full attention to the ex-jaeger then; in doing this he effectively kept the fact of Fie's presence from his roommates.

"How much did you hear?" He came right out and asked her, knowing she'd had to have been listening to them, what with how close to the door she'd been.

"A lot." She answered honestly, causing the older teen to sigh. "The first thing I heard was Jusis asking about your injuries, and wanting to hear how you'd respond without me there, I didn't knock like I'd originally planned to." She let him know just how much of their conversation she was privy to.

"Fie, you can't go eavesdropping on our classmates." He chided her softly. "Because it's you, I'm not personally bothered by it, I trust you and I know you don't mean any harm by it. That said, I'm not sure anyone else in our class would feel the same." He warned her.

"I got it." She assured him. "I didn't intend to do it in the first place though, only decided to on the fly, to see how you were feeling concerning your wounds. Past that point, it was simply curiosity." She informed him.

"That's not an excuse." He replied with a shake of his head.

"So...I'm special?" She repeated his words back to him then, tone and expression not betraying her feelings on the matter one way or another, effectively moving past the point of eavesdropping.

"Oh...uh...haha, you heard that too, huh?" He chuckled nervously, scratching his cheek as he willed a blush to not set in, successfully in fact. "Well, I meant it. My strength is still inadequate, and as frustrating as it is to admit, there is a wall blocking my progress. However, I will surpass this limit I seem to have hit. I have to. Protecting you and Elise...it's the whole reason I took up my blade and started down the path of swordsmanship. So if I can't protect you, everything I've done up to this point, all the grueling training, learning to control my emotions...all of it would be absolutely pointless. So, yeah, you're special." He elucidated the meaning behind his words. "I care about you a lot, you are my best friend after all. That's why...no matter what anyone calls it, arrogance, selflessness, stupidity...I'll always protect you any possible way I can." He vowed to her in that moment, as sincere and heartfelt as he ever was with her.

Fie's heart all but skipped a beat in that moment, a light blush playing at her cheeks. "When you say it like, it's almost like you're the knight to my damsel in distress." She remarked with the beginnings of a grin.

Rean could not help but laugh heartily at that. "Yeah right! No matter the situation, I doubt that would ever happen. You're not exactly the demure helpless type." He opined mirthfully. "And I'm certainly no knight either." He added self-deprecatingly, doing so in a humorous manner for once.

'You sure do seem like a knight to me...' She thought to herself. "I don't know. I don't think I'd mind too much playing the damsel in distress, so long as you were my knight in shining armor." She flirted, her grin changing to a simple smile.

Rean's face took on a red hue then, the blush he'd been fighting coming back full force. 'D-did she just...? No, no, I must be imagining things. She didn't mean that. Fie wouldn't flirt with me. She wouldn't even know how to...right?' He wasn't exactly sure, even in his thoughts. 'I mean...why would she? I'm just...' His train of thought trailed off in that moment, as he shook his head. "W-What...? W-Why would you...? I mean, um...thank you..." He stammered bashfully, truly uncomprehending of the situation. 'Don't make it awkward, don't make it awkward, don't make it awkward!' He repeated to himself mentally. 'She didn't mean it like that. I know she didn't. I'm reading too much into it, that's all. Fie would never flirt with me! She's just...she's just being affectionate. That's all.' He reasoned with himself, coming to an acceptable conclusion and taking it for the truth.

Not the reaction Fie was hoping for of course, but it was not unexpected. 'Still, he's really cute when he's embarrassed.' She took the consolation of an embarrassed and cute Rean over him getting what she was doing in stride.

"So...uh, anyway..." Rean cleared his throat in that moment, taking a second to collect himself and allow his cheeks to return to their original color. "I'm guessing you couldn't sleep?"

"Mm." She confirmed with a nod of her head, expression neutral once again. "Bad dream." She elaborated, the red in her face starting to fade as well.

'Bad dream? Fie had a nightmare?' He thought with worry. "Want to talk about it?" He asked her simply, his concern worn openly on his sleeve.

"I feel like we've had this conversation before. Have we had this conversation before?" Fie quipped satirically, selling it with a quirked brow and quizzical gaze.

"Hardy har har." Rean retorted with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. "I'm being serious here Fie. It helps to talk about these sort of things." He insisted, pressing the issue as she dodged the question.

"Then why didn't you talk to me about the nightmare you had a few weeks ago?" She turned it around on him. "You were really bothered by it, that wasn't hard to see. But you brushed me off, wouldn't tell me what it was." She stated, the sense of accusation one would expect nowhere to be found. She wasn't truly trying to say anything by it, only attempting to stall the discussion.

The affable swordsman sighed. "Fie, I didn't talk to you about it...because I have nightmares semi-regularly. They tend to follow a similar pattern and as for what they're about...well, I'm sure you can guess. But I'm used to them. I truly am. Some are worse than others, yeah, but they're nothing I can't handle." He explained to her patiently. "You, on the other hand, don't have nightmares very often. You didn't have them when we were kids, and I'm rather sure you don't have them too much now. In fact, I'm willing to bet you haven't had one our entire time attending the academy, right?" He presumed with confidence.

She just nodded affirmatively.

"That's what I thought." He said with a nod. "I don't mean to be pushy, and I'm not trying to treat you like a kid. I just want to help, that's all." He assured her. "You're strong, Fie. And I don't just mean in combat. So when you have a nightmare, I can't help but assume it's something pretty serious." He elucidated.

Fie remained quiet, still not looking too willing to share the details.

"Okay, fine, you win." He gave in then. "I promise to tell you about my next nightmare, if you share yours with me now. Deal?" He proposed this arrangement to her.

"Deal." She agreed, willing to share so long as he finally did the same. 'Even if it's exactly what I think it is...I want him to tell me himself. To get it out.'

So, Fie proceeded to confide in Rean the details about her nightmare. Or rather, the memory that decided to resurface this night to bother her.

...

As Fie finished recounting the dream and how it was in fact something that had happened to her in the past, only the faintest glimmer of sadness and regret shining in her eyes to reveal how she truly felt about it, Rean took action. Catching his childhood friend off guard, for once, Rean pulled the ex-jaeger into a warm embrace.

He found himself overcome with sadness and regret for not being there for her when she needed it, and felt he had to do something, anything. At a loss as to what to do, however, he simply acted without thinking.

Fie attempted to pull away from the embrace, as she said, "I'm not upset, I'm fine, I-", she was cut off as Rean pulled her back in close.

"That wasn't your fault." He told her then, voice low and quiet, contrasting with it's firm and comforting nature. "You did what you had to do. I'm sure you know that, but I wanted you to hear it from someone else." He wasn't reassuring her, rather, he was stating the truth as he saw it. There was no doubt in his words, and he left no room for argument with his absolute tone of certainty. "You didn't have a choice. You were a kid. You hardly knew life outside of Zephyr. All the circumstances were against you. You are not at fault." He dictated to her, far more sure of himself in that moment and the things he was saying to her than he was about anything else in his life.

As he hugged her tightly and spoke to her in such a way, the stoic girl found a lump forming in her throat in spite of herself. "I know that." She managed to say without letting the mix of emotions she was feeling intrude into her tone. She wanted to speak further, about how he didn't need to worry about her, that she wasn't really that broken up over it. Not so much as to keep up her tough image, rather if not for herself, than for him. 'He has so much crap to deal with, I don't need to add onto it with my baggage. Before he helps me, I have to help him first.' She thought to herself insistently.

But the words simply wouldn't come out.

"I know you do. I just wanted to let you know that I know it too." He assured her, as he continued. "I know you, Fie. At your core, You're a sweet, kind, caring girl. You wouldn't cause someone hurt or suffering for no reason. I know that." He emphasized this point greatly.

Her emotions bubbling to the surface began to overwhelm the young girl in that moment, unshed tears starting to prickle at the corners of her eyes. "I-is that true? I don't know. I-I...I've killed so many..." She confessed, the hurt and guilt in her tone heartbreaking for her childhood friend to hear. "Some deserved it, some were just casualties of war...others were simply rival jaegers that we had to fight...none of them bothered me. I grew accustomed to the death. I didn't feel anything when they died. But...there were a few that stuck with me, that I couldn't stop thinking of, that I could not stop agonizing over for months...just like that boy. They were the ones that got to me." She unbosomed herself, laying it all out with the wave of emotion going through her, continuing to fight back the tears that desired to be shed. 'I will not cry.'

"It doesn't matter." He told her with authority in his voice. "Nothing you've done can change how I see you. It's like you said before, everyone sees people differently. No matter what you've done or what you tell me, it won't change the way I see you. Because I know you. You told me I was special to you, well, it goes both ways. It's like I said to Jusis...you're special to me too, Fie. You were there for me and Elise when it counted, and you've been there for me ever since we started at the academy. It's been surreal, but I can't say I don't enjoy someone trying to look after me for a change." He opened up in turn, attempting to soothe and comfort his best friend. 'Even if I don't deserve it.' Came the unbidden thought, that the diffident swordsman only expanded upon. 'I really, truly don't. Not if I couldn't see you needed someone to comfort you like this.'

"None of it matters." He reiterated his point one last time, attempting to hammer it home. "You're still you. You are still the Fie Claussell I know, my best friend. Nothing in the world can change that." He stated with such conviction, as if he believed nothing more in the world than these words.

While the she was capable of holding the tears back, the silver-haired maiden struggled to choke back a sob, as she returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around Rean. "You really are the best." She told him, as a smile returned to her face.

Fie found herself treasuring Rean in that moment, as she found herself doing a lot lately, as the most amazing person she'd ever met. He was her greatest confidant, her best friend, the only family she had left and... 'Something more.' She had already known this, but her mind still brought the thought to the forefront of her mind.

* * *

Somewhere on the outskirts of Bareahard...

A young girl, roughly thirteen years of age going by her build, rode atop a flying silver object. This girl had short, turquoise hair and warm, amber eyes. As for attire, she wore a white, almost skintight bodysuit that was not dissimilar from a one-piece bathing suit. More eye-catching than any of this, however, was the alarming amounts of blood that covered her right arm. The limb was almost covered in the crimson liquid, the ruby substance originating from the nasty gash near the top of her arm, close to her shoulder.

This wound was the reason that, unlike earlier today, the doll-like object moved with great speed. It's objective had changed, as now it was to flee and get the girl as far away as possible from her pursuers.

Panting as she flew through the air on top of the silver contraption, the girl finally spoke. "I think we might've finally lost'em, Lammy." She opined, applying pressure to her wound with the hand on the opposite arm.

...

Below...

The darkness of night covered his movements, allowing him speedy movement without drawing much attention. This was one of the two major factors that allowed Warrick to keep on the trail of the young girl with the silver doll-like contraption, and keep her from escaping his grasp entirely. The second was his reluctant ally, the person in the brown cloak, who cut off her escape routes every time she tried to use them.

They had her circling the outskirts of the city, as it were. And while they hadn't yet managed to pin her down for longer than a minute or two, it was only a matter of time now.

"Don't let her get away cloak!" Warrick barked at the cloaked figure.

"Call me by my code name, or don't call me anything at all." The figure wearing the brown cloak responded with irritation, the voice noticeably masculine, pegging him as male.

"Fine, whatever. Comrade R it is, I guess." Warrick capitulated with a groan. "Now let's get this brat!"

"It's time to force her inward to the city. She'll have less room to maneuver there, if we can get her out of the sky, at least." Comrade R advised.

"Sounds good to me." Warrick agreed easily enough, predatory grin worn openly. "She's given us quite the run around. But this little chase shouldn't last too much longer."

* * *

END NOTE: The schism between Fie and Laura intensifies, and Millium is on the run. Not to mention, the mysterious Comrade R. How exciting! A little sappy goodness between Rean and Fie is always nice as well, don't you guys think? Anyway, had intended to make his longer, but felt cutting it off here and moving the rest to the next part would work better. We'll see how everyone feels when said next part is out, I guess. Hope you guys enjoyed, till the next one!


	14. Complications

Jose19: Well, I mean, I'm not gonna tell you. But...um, thanks for the input, I guess? Not sure what you're trying to say here. I know what happens to Crow hurts Rean deeply, everyone who's played the second game does...so, yeah, moving on.

Apex85: Oh there will be plenty of bloodbaths. Regarding important characters though...well, there is at least one instance I have in mind where that could happen, not fully decided, so I'll leave it alone for now.

Some of them? Yeah, sure. Some of them most assuredly have a limit and or a threshold. A lot of them, however...well, not so much.

Yep.

Thanks, glad you liked it. I can see your point and I even agree, on some level. A little underutilized, for sure. Good. I have no idea who those characters you mentioned are, but I'll take your word for it.

Manu259: Yeah, I really can't blame you for having that reaction. I've had it several times in my life, so, completely understand where you're coming from. :P

Expected? I honestly thought I'd surprise people with that. Not a lot, but at least a little. Seem you andme think a little more alike than I thought. Interesting.

Oh, just wait. With the stuff I have planned, it won't be long before the whole damn class ships them, trust me. XD

Most definitely, as I'm sure you'll find out below.

Thank you for your time and review, your input and feedback are always appreciate. :)

RedBurningDragon: Glad you think so. Yeah. You shall see.

Heero de Fanel: Indeed!

I'm happy you like and get what I'm going for with changing up the field study groups. That said, don't worry, Emma will be in the next field study group. I gotta give everyone their time, right? As for Fie and Laura's clash in Heimdallr...well, I'm not gonna say anything more than I don't plan to take as long as the game did to resolve their conflict. Thanks, I try my best to give them decent development. That's a big reason I decided to start all the way back at the beginning, as opposed to a later point in time, so that I could properly and effectively characterize everyone for the story and a plethora of things I have planned. Again, thank you, I try my best. :)

So, a little note before the chapter. Cold Steel 3 was finally announced for a Western release, however, it's being handled by NISA. My heart is in my throat and I'm sitting on pin and needles and hoping against all hope they don't fuck this up. Please, please, don't let them fuck it up! Okay, I could go on for hours, but I'll leave my venting at that small snippet. Moving on.

Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. Darkknight2156, Blazehunter32, blazingpheonix123, fuji92, grimmzapdos, yukkikage666, Blazing Badger, thank you!

This is part six, the next chapter will be the finale to this arc. Just one more to go, don't worry. Also, the title for this chapter is subject to change, as I couldn't quite think of what it would best be served to be called, so I just went with the chapter title you see. Anyway, please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 ** _ACT I - CHAPTER II - PART VI_**

 **...**

Early the next morning...

"You have my deepest apologies for my behavior last night. I was out of line." Laura apologized, heartfelt in her sincerity, head lowered in guilt and shame. "I acted quite inappropriately, and said things I did not truly mean. I was frustrated and angry with you, these feelings compounded with my preconceived notions of jaegers...of you, and I lost my composure. It was childish and unacceptable. And you have my word, it will not ever happen again." The well spoken swordswoman promised her classmate, raising her head from it's lowered position.

Fie was a tad caught off guard by the sudden apology. She had expected it, in some form at least. 'She is a proper and well-behaved lady, after all.' She mentally classified her classmate. But she'd be lying if she said she had expected it to be so sincere and heartfelt. 'Most people see jaegers as thugs or monsters, Laura included. I didn't think she'd feel this bad for saying what she really thought...'

"Why are you apologizing for speaking your mind?" Fie inquired. "That's how you feel, right? Then you should say so. Better that way. I much prefer you say it to my face. rather than keep it to yourself. You did, and I honestly respect you for that." She informed her, genuine in her sentiment.

Laura looked almost horrified at that. "No! I assure you, I did not mean what I said! I spoke without thinking, I-I did not mean to...to hurt you like I did." She admitted. "I know that my words were harsh and mean-spirited, as I said, I am sorry for that. It was not my intention to hurt your feelings. My behavior last night was deplorable, I can hardly even believe I acted in such a manner. I was raised better than that. My father...would be ashamed." As this realization hit her, having not even thought of how her father might have reacted to what she had done, she began to look ill.

The genuine remorse rolling off of Laura stirred Fie's emotions a bit, and along with it was the hurt from the day before. Rean had just about erased it from her, but a small piece had returned as she was faced with her classmate. "It's okay. People get caught up in the moment and say things they don't really mean, I understand that. So...don't worry about it." She accepted the apology almost nonchalantly, in an attempt to hurry this along, so they could move past it. Mostly because she found herself uncomfortable, but partly because there was a small part of her that felt Laura did not truly mean what she said. That small part believed her remorse, her apology, but still thought what Laura's words to her were how she honestly felt, just that she felt bad about saying them aloud. And Fie found herself listening to that small part in that moment.

Laura opened her mouth to speak further, just as Fie prepared to tell her she would like to drop it, when the sound of knocking interrupted their conversation.

The two girls dropped the discussion, reluctantly on Laura's part, as Fie moved to and opened the door to their room.

"Hello Fie." Machias greeted her. "Do you have any idea where Rean and Albarea have gone? I can't seem to find them." He admitted, a tad confused.

"They got up a little earlier than the rest of us to go buy something." She apprised him. "They should be back in a few minutes."

"Buy something? What could those two possibly be shopping for?" He queried quizzically

"What do you think?" She retorted with a rhetorical question, giving her male classmate the universally accepted 'are you stupid' look.

* * *

Rean and Jusis were currently browsing a store that specialized in eyewear, the lack of customers besides them giving them the time and space to speak openly to one and other, which they took advantage of.

"Pardon the bluntness, but I do believe I heard two voices in the hall last night." Jusis spoke forwardly.

"Oh, um, we didn't keep you awake, did we?" Rean asked, tone apologetic.

"No. I couldn't make out what you two were speaking about, so it wasn't loud enough to disturb anyone's slumber. That said, you were chatty enough that I could easily discern it was Fie who you were speaking with." He informed him, as his gaze sweeped over a particular row of spectacles.

"I see, that's good then."

"Mm. Yet I find myself curious, what could keep you two so busy? If you don't mind my asking, that is." He said politely.

"It was...personal. And it wouldn't really be my place to talk about it." Rean responded evenly.

"I see. So the personal matters concerned her, rather than you. I understand, I shall not question you further regarding the matter then." He accepted this limit to the conversation. "Then allow me this, she is more to you than just a friend, is she not?" He inquired, not bothering to look back at his classmate as he did.

"W-What!? Um, I don't, I mean..." Rean began to stammer, a light red color hewing his cheeks. "Why would you ask me that...?"

"Simple. Romantic or not, the closeness the two of you share is not that of an ordinary friendship." The aloof noble verbalized his illation. "There are blatant signs of this, such as her being so open and honest with you, as well as how she seems to take it upon herself to be within your immediate vicinity at all possible times. There are also less obvious signs of this, like her body language around you, and yours around her, especially that of your battle stance." He expounded.

"W-Well, I mean...you're not wrong. She is much more than just a friend to me. She's like family. But...wait, what about my battle stance? What's that got to do with anything?" He suddenly found himself asking, confused about that one.

'Is that really all?' Jusis wondered, holding the theory that it was more than that at this point, but opting not to press his classmate on the subject. "Ah, so you don't even notice it yourself. I suppose I should have known that. It's not so obvious to most people, but to anyone with enough combat experience, or those who are swordsmen like you, such as Laura and I, your stance changes when you do battle with Fie at your side." He started to explain.

"When she is not present, your stance is rather neutral, neither offensive or defensive, willing to flow in either direction depending on how the fight unfolds. On the other hand, when she is present, your stance is decidedly more aggressive, at least for you, that is. You're quicker to attack, and slower to retreat. I've also noticed that, when at all possible, you keep her at your back, while the enemy is at your front. In other words, you try to place yourself between Fie and your opponent whenever such an action is feasible. You make sure not to block her completely, so that she can still attack, of course, however, you position yourself so that any attack made would have to get past you to reach her." He explicated. "It's just another facet of what we discussed last night, your protective nature, as it were. Considering you seem to have been doing this unconsciously, it certainly lends quite a bit of credence to your assertion that Fie is different, a special case as it were, when it comes to you acting rashly and throwing yourself in harms way." He added.

"I, uh, well...um..." Rean stammered, unsure of how to respond. "You certainly are observant." He settled on this for some reason. "I can't exactly deny it. Even if I barely realized I was doing it myself..." He trailed off. "Why, exactly, do you bring this up?" The diffident swordsman inquired directly then.

"Simple. I wish to know why." The blonde answered honestly. "What is it that sets her apart from everyone else, why must you protect her so?" He queried further. "She is, after all, the second strongest warrior in our class. She outstrips everyone with the exception of Laura and our instructor...it is not like she needs the protection." He brought up a valid point. "It's not a sense of chivalry on your part or the misguided notion that she requires protection because of her sex, that is made readily apparent by your lack of similar actions on Laura's behalf." He concluded. "Yet you insist your relationship isn't romantic in nature. If you're to be taken at your word, that doesn't leave much reasoning behind your actions. Unless, of course, this is a habit you picked up when you were children?" It was phased as a question, but by the tone of the noble boy's voice, it was more like inference.

"Okay, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you rehearsed that. Should I start calling you detective Jusis from now on?" Rean decided to inject some levity into the conversation, so as to try and alleviate the discomfort he was beginning to feel about where it was going.

Jusis could not help but allow a small grin to form on his face. "Funny. And I thank you for the compliment as well." He responded pleasantly. "I'll take your response to mean that you have no intention of answering. That is fine. I was simply curious. I have no intention of pressing the subject." He apprised his friend.

"No, I..." The affable swordsman began. "...look...when we were kids...something happened. I don't really want to talk about that, so I'll just say this. Some man...a jaeger, had found us on the outskirts of Ymir, My sister, Fie and I, that is. Things got bloody. Fie almost died. And ever since...I promised myself that I would protect her. That's why I..."

Jusis' grin morphed into an understanding smile, as he nodded his head. "I understand. Thank you for telling me. I don't need to hear anymore, my curiosity has been sated." He informed his friend.

"Thank you." Rean said, his relief showing through for a moment. "I gotta ask though, what's with all the personal questions suddenly?" He posed to his new friend.

"Is it not obvious? I desire to know more about the companion I suddenly find myself having." He gave his reasoning, as he finally picked out a pair of spectacles. "I had insisted I had no intention of making friends, that went for the entirety of the student-body, not just our class. And yet, you persisted in trying to be friendly, even when I attempted to brush you off, you still kept sticking your nose in my business. I can now see that you don't know the meaning of a cold shoulder. That, or you just don't care to acknowledge or respect it." He told the raven-haired teen, amusement abundant in his eyes.

"I...uh, I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not." Rean replied with a chuckle.

"Take it however you wish." Was all the aloof noble said in response, as he got the clerk's attention and prepared to pay for the glasses.

"Than I choose to take it as a compliment." Rean said simply, as he fished out his wallet and opened it. "Here, I can cover half of-"

"Absolutely not." Jusis refused outright. "Who do you take me for? Put your wallet away. I will not allow a friend of mine to pay a single mira to replace something that I broke. My actions, my responsibility." He dictated, his expression hardening to it's usual neutral, almost haughty state.

Rean couldn't help but laugh at this. "Alright, alright. I got it." A small, mirthful grin had formed on his face at this point. "You're actually a pretty nice guy, you know that, Jusis?"

"I have no intention of dignifying that with a response."

Rean just laughed again.

* * *

As Rean and Jusis returned to the hotel, they found their classmates waiting for them in the main lobby. Fie and Laura were, well, no better than they had been in the past month, unfortunately. They awkwardly kept their distance, uncomfortable tension almost palpable between them. As for Machias, he was staring intently at the two returning males.

"Is there a problem?" Jusis posed to the dark green-haired teen, as he and his friend came to a stop.

"N-No, of course not. I just-I didn't expect..." Machias trailed off, his eyes focused solely on the pair of glasses Jusis was carrying.

"What? I told you I would replace them, did I not? I mean what I say, and I say what I mean. It is as simple as that." The aloof blonde informed. "Here are the replacements I promised. As they are of a similar make and model as your previous pair, I've no doubt you will find them acceptable." He apprised his rival. "That said, I was not aware of the strength of the prescription of your lenses, so, unfortunately, I doubt it will be what you're used to in that regard." He explained further. "I will, of course, pay for proper replacement lenses once we've returned to Trista. All you will have to do is let me know the strength of your usual prescription." He assured him.

"I don't...I honestly don't know what to say." Machias confessed in that moment, as he took the proffered spectacles. "I suppose a thank you is in order, so...you have my gratitude, Albarea." He continued as he tried the glasses on; the spectacles just about identical to his old pair. "They're...not quite a strong as my old pair, the lenses' affect, that is. But it will more than do for the remainder of the field study." He reassured, tone a tad stilted and awkward at the moment.

Jusis nodded at this, and that was where their conversation ended. Rean fought the urge to sigh at this fact. 'That went better than I'd expected, didn't go as well as I'd hoped, though. Baby steps, I guess.'

Laura and Fie joined them then, just as the man who'd welcomed them to the hotel the day before, the General Manager, an older man named Richelieu, approached. "Ah, you're back." He acknowledged this fact, before coming to a stop and offering an envelope to them. "Here is the envelope Lord Rufus entrusted to me. Please take it, and study it's contents well."

"Thank you." Rean said as he took the envelope from the older man.

"Much appreciated." Jusis verbalized gratitude.

Richelieu nodded his head at this. "If you'll excuse me, then. Should you require anything further, please do not hesitate to let me know!" He let them know enthusiastically, before taking his leave.

"All right. Let's see what my brother's given us for today."

"Yeah, I'm kinda anxious." Rean agreed, as he opened it up and took out the paper inside.

The list, unlike the previous day's, only contained two tasks. The first was from the general manager of the hotel Esmeralda, the man who had just given them the envelope, Richelieu. And he required their assistance in exterminating a plant monster dwelling on the stone bridge leading toward Celdic on the North Kreuzen Highway. The second was from the owner of the restaurant they ate at the night before, Sorciere, Hammond. And his request was a simple collection of ingredients, though they would need to swing by his establishment to confirm everything he needed.

"Seems our workload is lighter than previously." Laura commented on the fewer tasks present.

"You know...I wouldn't be surprised if Rufus had predicted what happened yesterday from the very start." Rean suddenly extrapolated aloud.

"You're saying he intended to give us a firsthand look at the problems between the nobles and the commoners?" Machias queried, immediately knowing what his friend was referring to. "Hmph. If that's true, I'm impressed. His reputation is well earned."

"Sure does seem that way." Fie commented.

"I believe that's enough talk about my brother." Jusis interjected. "We have only one day left before we must depart on our return voyage to Trista." He reminded them. "We should set out-"

"Jusis Albarea." The bespectacled genius spoke abruptly, interrupting the blonde; eyes boring into him, even as their colored orbs made direct contact.

"What is it, Machias Regnitz?" The aloof noble decided to humor his rival, tone something along the line of boredom in that instance.

"I will accept no more failures. Today we WILL form and maintain a combat link." The studious commoner dictated to his rival.

"...What?" Was said rival's eloquent response.

"As much as I may dislike you, I'm ashamed that we were unable to do what every other member of our class has accomplished." The dark green-haired boy admitted. "We may not be the only ones having trouble currently, but we are the only ones who have never retained a combat link for an entire battle." He effectively encapsulated their dilemma. "We will achieve this today, no matter what we have to do to get it done. Agreed?"

The blonde sighed at this, as he began to shake his head. "You really are simple-minded, aren't you?" He questioned rhetorically, amused. "I suppose you overheard our conversation last night and feel some kind of affinity toward me now?"

"N-Nonsense! I did no such thing!" Machias quickly denied. "I was fast asleep while you yammered on about your family and Rean...er..." He quickly realized his folly. "ahem." He cleared his throat, unsure of how to recover from his blunder.

"Machias..." Rean spoke his friend's name with a small grin.

"That's pretty conclusive." Fie put forth.

"I do believe we've learned today that Machias cannot lie to save his life." Laura remarked, clearly just as amused as Jusis was.

"Gah." Machias huffed in frustration.

"Haha." Jusis chuckled. "Very well. I accept your proposal. I'll be happy to show you what a proper combat link looks like."

"H-Hah! We'll see about that! Fortunately, I have more than enough generosity of spirit to endure being paired with an arrogant noble like you!" His words lacked the usual venom that accompanied them when speaking to his rival; the bespectacled genius attempting to appear far more hostile than he truly felt.

Both Rean and Jusis couldn't help but laugh at the other male's behavior.

"What?" Machias suddenly barked in Fie's direction, the silver-haired maiden having been pointedly staring at him for a few moments now.

"Nothing." She responded. "Just find it funny that you're finally taking steps to remove that chip from your shoulder." She said with mirth hidden behind her eyes. "It'll probably take you awhile, but you're gettin' there."

"What exactly are you trying to say?" The class VP inquired directly.

"That you're a good boy." She joked, still staring right at him.

That got the boy flustered for a moment. "Stop that! He demanded irritably. "Stop looking at me like I'm some hapless babe!" He exclaimed. "You know what, I've been wanting to say this to you for a long time now, Fie, and now is the perfect opportunity!" He continued, the fifteen year old clearly having gotten his dander up, even if it was rather minor compared to how upset he'd been the previous day. "Sleeping in class is an affront to our education! You need to start treating classes more seriously! Listen! Take proper notes! Raise your hand now and then!" He nagged her incessantly, his motive behind doing so comprised of one part genuine vexation, and one part simply trying to cover his embarrassment with outrage.

Not wanting to hear any of this, Fie hid behind Rean, placing her back against her childhood friend's; using her hands to cover up her ears, she was blatantly trying to block Machias out.

"Get out from behind Rean, and stop covering your ears when I'm talking to you!" Machias further badgered the ex-jaeger.

"I can't hear you." Fie retorted, almost impishly.

Rean laughed out loud at Fie's antics, while Jusis couldn't help but smirk; the noble more entertained by the girl making fun of his rival than he'd care to admit. Laura found herself smiling as well, even in spite of the ever-thickening tension between Fie and herself.

"Alright now, that's enough of that." The affable swordsman asserted, getting everyone's attention. "We have our tasks, so how about we get to it?"

* * *

The group of five teens opted to attend to the monster extermination quest first, heading out to North Kreuzen Highway, where they found a large plant-like monster, sporting three faux venus fly trap heads. They did battle with the creature, their aggression leading the creature to release offspring from it's body, introducing several new combatants to the mix, in order to better defend itself. One by one they slayed the smaller plant-beasts, before focusing all their attacks on the one who'd produced the progeny. They quickly discovered it was of a similar strength as the monster they'd encountered the previous day, as it fought back with all it's might. Nothing they couldn't handle though.

However, matters were complicated as Jusis and Machias found themselves failing yet again at maintaining a combat link. Far worse than that, Fie and Laura were completely incapable of forming a combat link at all. Before where it would falter and break inexplicably, now it couldn't so much as muster into existence. In short, their linking capabilities were rendered absolutely nill. A problem that, until now, none of the class had ever encountered before.

They couldn't spare the time to think about the implications of this or guess as to what the repercussions could be, as they were still in the midst of battle. Hastily, Rean linked with Fie, and the group of five continued their fight, until eventually, they'd killed the monster.

Flummoxed by what'd occurred regarding their combat links, none of the five found they had anything to say. So they simply returned to the city.

...

After reaching Bareahard, they decided as a group they needed to try again regarding the links. So they ventured out onto the Auroch's Canyon Path. They fought several creatures as they advanced, until they reached the fort itself. Unfortunately, they were unable to solve the problems between either of the pairs experiencing difficulties. They were able to determine, however, that Laura could still link with others, just as they already knew Fie could from the battle with the plant monster. Otherwise, they'd made zero progress in fixing the problem.

As they turned to head back though, the sound of a man muttering and whining to himself caught their attention. Deciding to see what the problem was, they spoke with him.

He was a man of average height, possessed short light brown hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. His outfit and features were all painfully mundane, nothing very unique or eye-catching about him. His personality on the other hand...well, as Group A was about to find out firsthand, he could, at times, be a very eccentric person.

How so? Well, when he took notice of the teenagers presence, he greeted them with these words, "You're...you're my messiahs, sent by Aidios to save me, aren't you?"

Despite the ridiculousness melodrama of such a line, the five asked after what was wrong with him. And he, suddenly oh so positive, related to them the fact that he was utterly and completely lost and had no idea how to return to the city. After conversing with him for a number of moments and getting past his eccentricities, the five agreed to guide him back to his friend, who was waiting for him back in Bareahard.

...

Once they'd unloaded Anton, which was the man's name they learned, upon his much more level-headed traveling companion, Ricky, the group of teens returned to their tasks. Or rather, their only remaining task, which required them to visit the restaurant from the night before.

"Greetings and welcome." A middle-aged man with black hair, a simple black mustache, dark brown eyes and fair skin greeted them. His all-white attire, not counting the red article around his neck, along with his rather tall chef's hat was all evidence of his seniority at this establishment.

"Hello, Hammond." Rean returned the greeting.

The teens went on to thank the man for the meal he'd served them the previous night, before he listed off the ingredients he needed to make a certain nostalgic dish, as he called it, that wasn't on the Sorciere's menu. Hence the need for assistance in gathering the ingredients. Jusis raised an eyebrow at what was needed, having a hunch as to what it was, but said nothing on the matter, and the group went about getting what was needed.

...

No more than half an hour later, they'd brought back what Hammond needed and were thanked for their work. He then bid them to take a seat, as he prepared the dish. So they did, gathering around an open table, sitting and waiting for this dish he so wished them to have.

Shortly after that they were served, other than a slight widening of Jusis' eyes, he gave no sign of recognition toward the dish, and the group dug in.

...

Hammond came to the table once they had finished their meal, and the four of the group beside Jusis praised the food greatly. The conversation evolved from there.

"You mentioned this is a nostalgic dish, I assume that means Jusis had it often?" Rean inquired directly, knowing he'd probably get an answer from Hammond sooner than he would the blonde himself.

"That's correct." Hammond confirmed. "It was one of his favorite dishes growing up...was it not?" He asked his nephew, diverting his attention solely to him.

"It was." Jusis answered with a nod. "It still is. I don't think that will ever change." He continued. "Thank you. It was quite the treat to have this again." He vocalized his gratitude, affording his family member a genuine, heartfelt smile in that moment.

"It was a pleasure." Hammond responded with a kindly smile in return.

The two conversed then, with the others as well, the four learning from the two that Jusis' mother had been the one to come up with the dish, having done so a number of years ago this one time the blonde in question fell ill as a child. She'd requested a healing herb from the church and combined it with a number of other ingredients, in hopes of it helping her son recover from his sickness faster, as well as being tasty and easy to digest. It hadn't been anything serious, just a cold, yet even still, the woman was determined.

It was clear, just hearing the uncle and nephew talk about her, that the woman had been a very kind person and a great mother. The four were unable to learn much more though, as Jusis seemed to clam up on subject, and Hammond seemed to respect that. He thanked them all once more, and they were able to mark the request as done. And as they left, he offered them a simplified recipe of the Deluxe Herb Chowder they'd chowed down on.

* * *

Group A had returned to Hotel Esmeralda, having finished up the day's tasks much earlier than they had been intended to. This left them a number of hours before their predetermined departure time. They could always catch an earlier train, however, the five didn't quite feel up to it, for a number of reasons.

The group of five teens plopped themselves down on two of the comfortable and luxurious sofas that were in the lobby, Rean and Fie on one, Laura, Machias and Jusis on the other, four of them completely dissatisfied and frustrated with how things had gone, even in spite of the warm and pleasant meal and exchange they'd had at Sorciere. Rean was the outlier, as he didn't share the frustration and dissatisfaction, because he himself had yet to face any problems linking with anyone. Still, he could empathize at least.

An uncomfortable silence was shared between them all, tension lingering within. Not only had Jusis and Machias been unable to do what they had been so determined to, what they had resolved themselves to do, the boys failing yet again to maintain a combat link...but there was also Fie and Laura. The strongest combatants in the class, the most dexterous and experienced of them all...and yet, they could no longer even form a link at all with their ARCUS units. It had all of the sudden become an impossibility for them to do something so completely fundamental. The overwhelming vexation the two girls experienced because of this didn't help matters none either, just as the abundance of aggravation from their male counterparts did nothing for fixing the conundrum.

Rean let out a sigh, catching the attention of his classmates in doing so. "Look guys, I know you're frustrated and angry over all this, and I can't say I wouldn't feel the same if I were in your shoes, because I know I would, but...this isn't going to get us anywhere." He began, sympathetic in tone. "Cooperating with someone is one thing, but really working together, trusting and synchronizing with each other, relying on one and other...those don't come so easily. And if I've learned one thing from our time as a class so far, it's that a good combat link doesn't just thrive off those things, they serve as prerequisites to it." He explained to them the conclusion he'd reached on the ARCUS links.

"With the sole exception of Machias and Jusis, everyone in our class was capable of linking with one and other, and maintaining that link through battle, even in the beginning. Despite the fact that most of us knew next to nothing about each other, we could link up and fight without any real complications, but that doesn't necessarily prove me wrong. In regards to the world, in the grand scheme of things, we're all young and inexperienced, we haven't gone through the ordeals that have closed off so many people's hearts and minds to each other." His eyes drifted to Fie in that moment. "And those select few of us that have...well, they manged to overcome those hardships, while managing to retain what so many people fail to." He was all but speaking directly to her in that moment, before returning his gaze to a neutral point, allowing everyone to fill his field of vision.

"What I'm trying to say is that this fact makes us, in comparison to most that is, more trusting and open-minded than others. Enough to allow us to link with our peers, at the very least." He expounded. "Furthermore, the two of you couldn't do the same because of your shared animosity." He looked between the dark green-haired and blonde rivals in that moment. "And on the flip-side of that, Fie and I could link almost instantaneously and were able to acclimate to battling while linked much easier than anyone else in the class. On top of that, we've had no trouble reaching out and linking with others while being linked together ourselves, while the same can't be said for most everyone else. Rather than assuming that means the two of us have a knack for using the ARCUS or are special in some way..." The affable swordsman trailed off, allowing them put the pieces together themselves, the same way he did.

"That would only leave the fact that you're childhood friends and are far more in tune with one and other than the rest of of us are with our fellow classmates." Machias finished, eyes widening a tad in understanding as he processed this and arrived at the same conclusion his friend had reached.

"A rather simplistic way to view it, however, I cannot deny that your words hold merit." Jusis added his voice to the discussion. "Even if your reasoning is...rather idealistic." His tone wasn't one of distaste, almost bemused rather than annoyed. He simply found the logic a tad...cheesy, not to mention overly uncomplicated.

"If that is truly how it works...I suppose it is only logical that we've had such setbacks." Laura opined, looking somewhat dejected at the notion.

"That makes sense." Fie commented simply. "It certainly would explain why Laura and I can't link at all anymore." She added.

"Following this line of logic, the ARCUS works through one's own will, or rather, combat links do." The bespectacled academic deduced. "In other words, it's not simply our minds that interact, able to almost psychically know how the other is going to attack and where as well as when; it's our wills that have the most say in how our links work out." He finished, sounding completely fascinated by the idea.

"Right. Which means that no matter how much you're all determined to link with one and other, it's not going to happen just because you try and force it." Rean elucidated. "You have to at least be amicable with each other to have a chance of making it work. The more you know and understand your partner though, the stronger the link will be and the harder it will be for it to suddenly sever like you guys experienced yesterday and today." He explicated. "Think of it like..." The humble swordsman trailed off for a moment, as he attempted to think up the best way to put what he was going to say next. "...almost like a dance." He decided on this analogy, mostly for the lack of being able to come up with a better one. "It's not going to work if both parties are trying to take the lead, all you'll end up doing there is stepping on each other's toes. There are only two ways to make it work, either by one person, or their will if you will, leading while the second person faithfully follows. Or, both parties have to 'share' the lead, as it were, moving together in harmony, ebbing and flowing into one and other, neither truly leading or following."

The group went quiet again for a few moments then, as this theory and the context it provided settled into their minds.

"Take all of this with a grain of salt, of course. I don't know any of this for certain. But from having to link with everyone, and continuing to fight while using these combat links, battle after battle, this is what I've managed to come up with. It's the only way I can think to describe it, and honestly, I feel I'm right on this one. It's just a theory, but I'm pretty confident in it's accuracy." He disclosed.

"If that's really how the ARCUS links work..." The spectacle wearing genius prefaced. "Then I suppose we'll just have to keep trying for the time being." He asserted simplistically.

The aloof noble nodded in agreement. "Giving up now most certainly wouldn't get us any closer to actually achieving a stable link. And while it is doubtful repeated attempts will yield superior results, it is far better than simply throwing in the towel." The blonde gave his two cents. "Not to mention, if this hypothesis regarding the ARCUS turns out to be accurate, then as we work toward a proper combat link we should make some sort of progress in meeting what you dubbed as the prerequisites, so long as we attempt to understand our counterpart that is. Naturally, that's assuming we can remain civil and keep from being at each other's throats." He reasoned.

"Exactly. You just have to keep trying." The diffident swordsman told them with a small smile. "As long as you try and understand the person you're attempting to link with just a little bit better each time you do, you should eventually manage to attain a proper combat link."

Fie, Machias and Jusis all nodded their heads in understanding at that, the latter most of them even going so far as to compliment Rean. "That's quite the cogent postulation." The blonde noble commended his friend. "It would not surprise me to find out that's exactly how the ARCUS' combat links work."

"He's right. The way you went in depth like that, it was like you'd wrote a thesis on the subject. At least a very rough draft of one, anyway." Machias agreed with his rival, clearly somewhat impressed.

"Rean's always been smart." Fie stated matter-of-factly.

Rean chuckled at that, scratching his cheek somewhat bashfully. "I don't know about all that...I've been thinking on it since we all first linked together in the old schoolhouse, mulling it over in my head every chance I got...so maybe that's why I was able to come up with the idea. Regardless, thanks, I appreciate that."

Laura, while just as impressed as the others were, found her gaze drifting downward to the floor, only able to think of the events from last night at her classmate's words and explanations, both her heated argument with Fie, as well as what followed afterward...

* * *

 _The night before..._

 _Rean stood in the middle of the central plaza of Bareahard, the moon providing just enough light for him to make out his surroundings. There were a few benches he could rest on, but the teenager opted to stand instead, his thoughts consuming him. 'I hope Fie's managed to fall back asleep by now. She needs her rest.'_

 _The seventeen year old shook his head at that. "You're one to talk. She's back in bed, yet here you are loitering outside when you should be sleeping." He acknowledged his own hypocrisy aloud._

 _That's when he felt it, another presence behind him, along with the sound of footsteps. Recognizing the presence, he wasn't alarmed, as he turned around to face the one approaching him. "Laura, what are you doing up?" He inquired with a pinch of concern._

 _The well spoken swordswoman, dressed in her uniform once more, joined her classmate at his spot in the middle of central plaza, before responding. "I apologize for bothering you this late at night. However, I wish to speak with you, and when I could not find you in your room, I assumed you had come out here. Whether for a breath of fresh air or to be alone, I am unsure."_

 _"The former." He answered. "I was just about to head back inside, so it's not like you're inconveniencing me or anything. So if you wanna talk, let's talk. Though, I have a pretty good hunch as to what it is you want to talk about." The diffident swordsman intuited_

 _"I wanted to speak with you...about Fie." She said simply._

 _"Yeah, I figured." He let her know. "So...what do you want me to say? We talked about this back at the academy, and I'm not sure what I can add to what I've already said." He bluntly informed her._

 _"Am I correct in assuming, that you've always know about her being a jaeger, even when you were children?" She posed this to him, pensive in tone and expression._

 _"Yeah. She was pretty upfront about the fact that she belonged to a jaeger corp. I think she honestly thought that my family and I would turn her away because of that." He apprised her of this fact, before shaking his head. "Like we'd ever do that."_

 _"How do you deal with it? The fact that she is...that she used to be, a killer for hire. I mean...do you have any idea the things she must have done during her time as a jaeger?" The diligent noble girl inquired grimly._

 _"Yeah, I do, actually. I acquainted myself with the normal activities a jaeger would partake in as I entered my teen years, the sole reason behind it being that I couldn't stop thinking about what Fie was up to. I studied up on jaegers as much as possible, read any old newspapers I could get my hands on with articles about them, I even asked my dad about it, and knowing how close Fie and I had been, he told me all he could. More than that though...Fie's told me herself. She's relayed some of the horrors she's experienced. None of what I learned was pretty...yet I can't find it in me to care." He explained to her with a shrug, his tone completely indifferent._

 _"W-What!?" Laura gasped with shock, unable to find any other way to respond, so utterly caught off guard by what he'd said and how he'd said it._

 _"Don't get me wrong. I hate what she had to go through, and the things her corp did to people. I'm sad that it all turned out like it did. And I'd change it if I could. No one should suffer like that." He stated, a deep-seeded sadness showing itself through his eyes in that moment. "However, if what you're asking is if it changed how I saw Fie or felt about her, the answer is no. In that regard, I just don't care. She's still my best friend, no matter what she did." He explicated, willfully banishing the sorrow from his visage. "She's far from a pacifist or anything of the like, but she's not the kind of person a jaeger is always categorized as. She would never take pleasure in killing, or harming people for that matter. Judging her as some sort of monster or villain...that's about as far off base as assumptions can get." He imparted this truth to her, more serious in that moment than she'd ever seen him, outside of battle, of course._

 _"Even still..." Laura lowered her gaze then, hesitating in her continuation of the discussion. Even now, she still found herself incapable of empathizing with one she saw as a former rogue, worse even, a butcher. "Irreverence, carelessness, thievery, deceitful manner, brash crudeness, ruthlessness...I can handle these things, understand them even. I see these things in people, and I can still accept them for who they are and understand how they view the world. I can still empathize with them. But the cold indifference Fie has for the world...on top of her bloody past as mercenary, a paid butcher of peoples lives...I cannot find it within me to accept someone like that, no matter how hard I try." The blue-haired girl confessed with an overabundance of anxious frustration, fists clenched and quivering, and her entire body almost shaking from it._

 _Rean was unable to keep the scowl from his face then, even if he could understand where she was coming from._

 _"How can you...?" She spoke under her breath, words so faint that the second party could hardly hear them. "How do you reconcile who she was and what she did, with your way of the blade!?" She demanded to know, raising her head to meet her fellow sword wielder's gaze. "How does it not conflict with your own ideals?! You told me yourself, you took up the path of the sword to protect someone close to you! The fact that her entire way of life up until now was nothing but war and bloodshed, violence and death...how does that not bother you!?" She beseeched him for an answer._

 _"Because from the very beginning, she's the one I wanted to protect." He divulged this to her, as his gaze hardened._

 _"W-What!?" Came the usually well spoken girl's rather ineloquent response, somewhat dumbfounded by this disclosure._

 _"Let me put it this way. Other than the fact that Fie was once a jaeger, what do you know about her?" He inquired directly._

 _"I..." She hesitated._

 _"Do you know her favorite color? Her favorite food? What about her hobbies?" He questioned her bluntly. "Did you know that she's had a long time interest in cooking? She used to watch my mother cook all the time. I'd thought it was a passing interest, but said interest hasn't faded, as I'd found out after we talked about our home economics class. Did you know that before coming to Thors she'd never even attended school before? And yet, in spite of that, she somehow manages to scrape by. Granted, she may be lagging behind most academically, but she still makes the cut. When you take into account the fact that she's two years younger than us as well, it's actually pretty impressive._ _" He expatiated on the matter. "How about the fact that she loves animals, cats especially? Or the fact that she hates dresses? Speaking of which, do you know her sense of fashion? What about the fact that in spite of her stoic nature, she loves to laugh?" He probed her for information that they both knew all too well she did not possess, the diffident swordsman pressing her to make a point. "Do you know anything at all about Fie?" He adjured her for an answer._

 _Laura found herself speechless then, words failing her completely. The expression on her face_ _was somewhere between complete angst and utter confusion, with an aspect of helplessness mixed in, as she desperately sought out some sort of reply but found she had none to offer._ _She couldn't possibly come up with an acceptable response, and so, she remained silent as a result._ _And as the two stood in the silence for a number of moments, it became evident that this conversation was over._

 _"Goodnight, Laura." Rean spoke to her pleasantly, before passing by her as he returned to the hotel to finally get some sleep._

* * *

'This debacle regarding the ARCUS' combat links simply serves as further incentive to put this issue with Fie to bed. I have to get over my hang ups regarding her past, I have to understand her better. We have to make amends and close the rift between us, otherwise...' Laura's thoughts were interrupted then, as the sound of Rean's protests caught her attention and brought her back to the situation at hand. What was he protesting about? As it turned out...

"F-Fie, stop it. I told you, I'm okay." The raven-haired teenager calmly asserted, as Fie removed his jacket from his person.

"And I said I wanted to check your wounds, see how they're doing. You might need further treatment." She insisted.

"That's fine, but not in the hotel lobby!"

"Here, hold this for me." Fie addressed Jusis, holding out Rean's blazer to him. "Keep it away from him for a few minutes." She requested of him bluntly, an ever so slight air of levity to her words and actions.

The usually aloof noble could not help but smirk at this, as he decided to humor her. Taking the proffered article of clothing, he played along. "I'll perform this task to the utmost of my ability."

Fie regarded him with a nod, before lifting Rean's shirt from the back, allowing her to see his bandaged back. Causing Machias, and a few on-duty maids, to gawk at her in disbelief.

"Damn it Fie, why won't you just listen?" Despite his words and the situation, the seventeen year old seemed rather calm, or calm for the position he was in, at least. He was a little embarrassed, for sure, but he seemed more concerned with others sense of propriety than he was with the actual act that was taking place. "Checking my wounds is fine, but not out in the open where everyone can see. Do you know what most people would think if they saw a girl trying to lift a boy's shirt like this?" The sensible swordsman patiently attempted to reason with his childhood friend.

"Let them think whatever they want. Your health takes priority over what a bunch of random strangers think of us." Fie responded to his concern with a somewhat reasonable answer, moving his bandages as she began to take a look at his healing wounds.

...

From Jusis' position, he was able to perceive the fact that the manager, Richelieu, had taken notice of this little impropriety going on and had begun his approach, no doubt to tell the ones involved that such a thing was not acceptable and they would have to stop immediately. Seeing his approach, the blonde swordsman was able to wave him off before he could get close enough break up the antic; it wouldn't do for the levity to be halted, not when things had gone so sour this day. The elderly business owner did not hesitate in doing as he was bid and as such, backed off, as it was what the young lord wished.

"Rean is right, this is definitely inappropriate." Machias agreed with his friend then, recovering from the minor shock of the youngest member of the class' actions, getting Jusis' attention back on his classmates. "That said, Fie has a point, one is more important than the other. Plus, I won't deny, this is certainly funny." The class VP admitted with a mirthful grin, feeling much better about all the linking drama, thanks to this fun little distraction. So much so, he didn't feel the need to stop Fie.

"Come on Jusis, help a friend out." Rean asked of Jusis then, meeting his gaze, clearly in need of assistance. "This isn't exactly appropriate for the lobby of a hotel." He made a fair point.

Even still...

"You'll have to forgive me. I'm afraid having a friend is new to me. Am I not supposed to act like this?" Jusis replied, downright facetiously, amused grin growing in size.

"Smart-ass!" Rean retorted with a snap, annoyed, yet at the same time, he had to fight back a grin of his own, finding the usually closed off boy going along with this as quite humorous in spite of himself.

Nearly the entire group broke into laughter then, for the simple fact of the ridiculousness of it, if nothing else.

Laura, the only member of group A not laughing, was once again too caught up in her own thoughts. 'This is...not how I picture her. So silly and carefree. She's smiling and laughing...she might have even done this to brighten everyone's mood in the first place, for all I know. It doesn't fit with who she's supposed to be...who I thought of her as. This is not a jaeger before me, but a normal girl. I still find myself conflicted...but, I think...I think I'm starting to understand now.'

...

"Well now, you're a lively bunch, aren't ya?" Came a masculine voice, mirth in his tone, catching the entire group's attention.

The man in question stood out just a tad. He was of average height and build, with rather short, messy blonde hair, light blue eyes and fair skin. As for attire, he sported a pair of non-descript black pants, as well as a pair of well made short-style boots, almost sneaker like in design, colored white with blue lining. Not to mention the twin brown belts he was sporting, one on top of the other, with matching pouches attached to boot. He also wore a lime green undershirt, while over that he wore a dark green shirt-jacket hybrid, along with a long white overcoat with blue lining to top it all off.

Having been caught in her antic, Fie put Rean's shirt back down, already satisfied that his injuries were looking much better than they did the day before anyway. This, in turn, prompted Jusis to give Rean his blazer back, and for the raven-haired teen to put it back on.

"Huh, don't see many people dressed like that around here." The stranger noted to himself, taking notice of the fact that the five teens were all wearing the same uniform. "Those are some fancy red uniforms, you guys students or something?" He asked them, rather straightforward in his manner.

"That we are." Laura confirmed with a nod.

"We're from Thors Military Academy in Trista." Machias added.

"We were sent here for a field study as part of our curriculum." Rean elaborated.

All three opted to give it completely straight and answer his inquiries without any thought as to why he was asking them, mostly to avoid drawing attention to what had been happening with the childhood friends of the group, so as to avoid any potential embarrassment.

"Thors, huh? Pretty fancy place, ain't it?" The blonde man remarked, more to himself than the teens he was speaking with.

"Is there any particular reason you felt the need to come up to a bunch of random teenagers and strike up a conversation?" Fie questioned him bluntly.

"Yes, it does seem a bit...out of place. Perhaps even suspicious." Jusis commented.

"Fair point." The stranger conceded with a chuckle. "I've got this bad habit of being friendly though, and I just can't seem to break it, no matter how hard I try." He told them with a carefree smile. "Guess I'll just have to live with the fact that it makes people suspicious of me. Oh well, what can ya do, right?" He remarked with a shrug of his shoulders.

His friendly demeanor was disarming, to say the least.

"Name's Toval, by the way." He introduced himself. "Toval Randonneur."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Rean Schwarzer." Rean reciprocated the introduction.

"Machias Regnitz."

"Laura S. Arseid."

"Fie Claussell."

"Jusis Albarea."

The group of students introduced themselves in tandem.

"Look at you guys being all polite, it's a nice surprise." He told them, his good-natured smile only growing. "Can't say I'm used to seeing that from kids your age. You bunch are a breath of fresh air, in that regard." He continued. "Anyway, I've got no idea what they've got you doin' for your field study, but good luck." He wished them luck. "Bareahard's a pretty nice city, but it's not without its share of problems. So watch yourself." He advised them, before walking away, making for the front desk to speak with the manager.

"That was certainly...interesting." Machias opined.

"Who was that man, exactly?" Laura pondered aloud.

"He was friendly as all get out." Fie remarked. "Really didn't seem like a bad guy." She admitted.

"I've never seen him before." Jusis divulged. "So he's certainly not a resident of Bareahard."

Rean said nothing, simply staring after the man for a few short moments, before returning his focus to the others. "Okay, back to the topic at hand. We should-"

"Excuse me, Lord Jusis." A feminine voice interrupted the dark-haired boy, diverting everyone's focus to her.

Dressed in the standard black and white uniform, there stood a maid, one of the many that worked at this hotel. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt. However, I must speak with you, Lord Jusis. One of your family's servants left a message for you, he went by the name Arnauld." She apprised him.

That got Jusis' attention. "Understood. Excuse me for a moment." He excused himself, standing and moving to follow the maid.

...

The aloof blonde returned a few minutes later, looking rather confused.

"Is something wrong?" Rean asked him, a bit of concern in his voice.

"No, nothing." Jusis assured. "I was just informed that I'm needed at the Albarea manor." He seemed rather dissatisfied at the notion, as well as perplexed. "As such, I'm afraid we must postpone our-"

It was at that moment that five Provincial Soldiers marched into the lobby of the hotel, catching the attention of everyone present in the establishment.

"Hold it right there!" Barked the first provincial soldier.

"The Provincial Army?" Almost every member of Group A said in unison.

"You're those students from Thors Military Academy, aren't you?" The second provincial soldier inquired, as the five men marched over to where Group A sat on the sofas. None of the men seemed to notice the presence of a certain noble boy, all their lines of vision focused solely on the four sitting down on the sofas.

"The ones who've come for a 'field study'?" The third provincial solider further inquired.

"Yes, that's us." Rean confirmed, a tad confused.

"Is there some kind of problem?" Laura queried, sharing her fellow blade user's confusion.

"He's a perfect match for the photo." The fourth provincial soldier said then, speaking to his comrades, as he visibly appraised Machias.

"How convenient for us." The fifth provincial soldier commented.

Jusis, genuinely taken aback by what was happening in front of him, could only stare in disbelief as these soldiers completely blanked on his presence and continued with this charade.

"What, exactly, is going on here?" The bespectacled academic queried with an abundance of befuddlement.

"First-year student Machias Regnitz, correct?" The second provincial soldier tried to ascertain, not that they waited for an answer.

"You're under arrest. You won't try to resist, if you know what's good for you." The first provincial soldier warned him, as he grabbed the teenager by the arm and tugged him upward, roughly forcing him off the sofa and onto his feet.

"W-What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Machias vociferated furiously at the rough treatment.

As Rean, Fie and Laura all opened their mouths to object, Jusis beat them to the punch, as he finally made his presence known. "Just what is the meaning of this!?" He demanded.

"O-Oh, L-Lord J-Jusis!" The first provincial soldier exclaimed in shock, finally taking notice of the noble teen. "I wasn't aware that you were-I mean, I thought you were at the Albarea Manor." He hurriedly corrected himself, already breaking into a sweat at the hard gaze he was met with by the young blonde.

The other four were much the same, clearly cowed quite a bit at his presence.

"Did you? And what, exactly, would make you think that?" Jusis queried, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

They clammed up at that, stammering and stuttering, but giving no real answers. Not that they needed to.

'Father, just what are you up to?' Jusis wondered to himself, putting the pieces together rather quickly. After all, it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on here. Especially not if you knew the kind of man Helmut Albarea, Jusis' father, was.

Before this tense situation could escalate or resolve, something far more pressing and urgent reared it's head. What could that possibly be? Well...

SMASH!

The sound of the front entrance, walls and all, being smashed in.

All of the sudden, a young girl that appeared roughly thirteen years of age, wearing a white battle-suit and sitting atop the silver object from the day prior, came crashing through the hotel.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD!?" Vociferated the manager, completely flabbergasted, as the rest of the staff present all gasped to varying degrees.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" One of the provincial soldiers shouted in shock, his compatriots doing much the same just in different words.

The rest of Group A all but jumped to their feet, as the commotion diverted focus off of everything and everyone prior, to this little girl and her smashing entrance.

"It's that girl!" Rean exclaimed in surprise, recognizing her build and the vague features he'd been capable of making out at the time and distance that he spotted her.

"That silver object is here as well!" Laura added.

Rubble littered the floor of the lobby, as did a number of glass shards, the front windows having not been spared in the slightest. There was a young girl atop some strange silver contraption, that looked almost humanoid and had just begun to make strange noises that were unintelligible to everyone present, excluding said young girl, that is.

"Yeah, I know, they're right behind me. I have to get out of here before they catch up." The small girl responded to it.

And yet, despite all of that, one thing in particular caught Rean's notice over it all, and drew his focus to it exclusively. That was the fact that the tiny girl's right arm was heavily bandaged near the shoulder, and that said bandages were all but soaked through with the crimson of her blood. Furthermore, judging by the trail of ruby liquid running down that very same arm, whatever wound she had sustained was being aggravated and worsened, to the point where it was bleeding anew.

'She's hurt bad!' This thought roared above every other he had in this situation, as he immediately felt the urge to help the injured kid well up something strong.

'They're right behind her? Someone must be chasing her...' Fie mentally noted

"Who are you!? And just what do you think you're doing!?" Jusis demanded of the strange girl, just as taken off guard as everyone else, but anger at part of the city being damaged helping him past it in that moment. And still, his anger was not the overriding emotion in his tone, able to keep it as calm as he could while still raising it, with enough firmness to show he wouldn't accept not receiving an answer.

That's when the young one took notice of the teenagers presence. "Oh hey, it's the military academy students!" She stated almost excitedly, as if she wasn't currently bleeding amongst rubble.

"Sh-She knows about us...?!" Machias all but stammered, taken aback by this revelation.

"Something's going on here." Fie opined then, hands already reaching for her weapons; her classmates shared her opinion completely.

"Answer me! Who are you, and why are you going around wrecking Bareahard property!?" Jusis reiterated his demand, his anger leaking into his tone this time.

"W-What!? N-No!" The girl attempted to deny quickly, sounding a tad distressed she was being blamed for such a thing. "I wasn't trying to-oh geez, this looks bad!" She acknowledge this fact. "I really don't have time to explain!" She insisted then.

"She went this way!" Came a voice from outside, alerting the youngest one present that her pursuers were still hot on her tail.

"I'd love to talk to you guys, but I'm kind of in a really sticky situation here! Sorry, gotta go!" She hurriedly apologized, before giving the silver contraption a light slap on one of its arms. "Let's go Lammy, double time it!" She barked, the object making another unintelligible sound before obeying, taking her right out of the establishment rather swiftly from the same great hole they'd created on the way in.

"Wait, get back here!" Jusis yelled after the strange girl, as he and literally everyone else in the building rushed to where the wall once stood, so as to get a look outside at the girl.

What they saw once they looked out, was the child still riding atop the floating object, as two figures, one male and the other shrouded by a brown cloak, caught sight of her and attempted to cut her off. The object juked to the side and continued to flee, as the two figures seemed to trade words before following after.

Rean's eyes were wide, having recognized one of the figures immediately. 'Warrick!'

Fie was much the same. 'Damn, what is he doing here!?'

Two things stuck in the the affable swordsman's mind then. The first was that the young girl was injured, the second, she was being chased by Warrick, of all people. "She needs help!" And with that, Rean, without any warning, wasted no time and broke from his spot with the others into a sprint, chasing after the hurt little girl and her pursuers.

"REAN!" His classmates exclaimed in surprise at his actions, having not expected him to go rushing off like that. Well, that is except one of them in particular...

Unlike the other three members of Group A, Fie knew a split-second after Rean began to move exactly what he was doing. And as such, followed after him immediately, legging it along with him as they began their own pursuit. 'That kid won't last long, not against Warrick. She needs help if she wants to have any hope of surviving.' Fie knew this was exactly what her childhood friend was thinking as he recklessly dashed after them, as such, she had to back him up. 'Because he's not wrong.' She thought grimly to herself.

It only took a moment or so before their classmates realized precisely what they were doing.

"Could those two be any more reckless!?" Machias voiced the exact thing the other two were thinking.

"Just what are they thinking!?" Jusis wondered in a similar vein.

"Quickly, we must follow!" Laura told them, as she moved to follow as well.

"Right!" They both affirmed, before all three went running after their reckless classmates.

Completely dumbfounded, the squad of provincial soldiers just stood there, dumbly watching as the teenagers lept into action when they themselves could not do the same, even while damage was being done to their city. It was only the incessant sounds of the hotel staff verbalizing their anxieties, worry and concern over what had happened and what was to follow, along with the screams of distress from the citizens out and about Bareahard that caught sight of the chase happening, that snapped the men out of their stupor.

"AFTER THEM!" The first provincial soldier ordered, as the five charged ahead to do just that.

...

Across the way from the hotel, next to the church entrance, stood the man named Toval. Having exited the hotel before that whole debacle had unfolded, he was only able to catch the tail end of it as everyone spilled outside of the building into the open. However, that was enough.

"Glad I came here from Legram for this." The blonde man remarked. "Sara was right, that kid has a real knack for getting into trouble." He spoke to himself with a hint of concern. "I'd best let her know what's going on, and that her suspicions were correct."

* * *

END NOTE: This one will be the last one for a little while, so you'll have to wait a bit for the finale to this arc/field study, sorry. Why, you might ask? Well, that's simple my dear friends and readers. We are just a few short days away from the release of the Resident Evil 2 Remake, followed by Kingdom Hearts 3 four days after that. Between those two games...well, let's just say I will be one busy man. I doubt I'll even touch my computer till sometime in late February...not to mention Devil May Cry 5 comes out early March and I'd like to do a marathon of the series...so, yeah, change that estimate to about the middle of March or so before I'm working on the next chapter. Hope ya can forgive me. XP See you all soon-ish, ya know, when I come out of my coma of gaming bliss. XD

Oh and as to why I'm so happy when I was rather distraught above, I am trying to focus on the positive and hold out hope that NISA won't fuck this up. It's all I can do. That and focus on all the amazing stuff happening, gaming-wise, these next few months. So I shall remain foolishly, yet cautiously, optimistic and simply focus on the positive for now. With that, see you guys later!


	15. The Power Of The Haze

Lyrista: You make a fair point. However, for the life of me, I just cannot remember Laura or Toval ever acknowledging that they'd met each other before. I suppose they probably did, but somehow, I just can't properly recollect such a thing occurring. That is why I wrote it like that. I'll keep that in mind as I move forward. I suppose I could retcon it, but, I'd rather not. I'll come up with something, one benign reason or another for them having never actually met.

Matter of fact, I'll leave up to my readers. You guys tell me, do I retcon it, go back and rewrite the scene, or do I move on and fabricate some sort of reason or another why they haven't met? She would still 'know' of him of course, but she'll never have actually met him, which is why she didn't put the pieces together that he was from Legram. Everyone let me know how you feel regarding this.

Manu259: Fair enough.

Well, with the way I have things set up, we won't get much of that, unfortunately. That said, there will be some of it, even if not a whole lot. You'll see what I mean in the coming chapters, as we draw closer to the turning point of this story.

By all means.

Thank you, glad you liked'em. I try my best.

Really? I thought it served as a good hook for the next chapter, but I honestly didn't think anyone would see it as the highlight of the chapter. I had been thinking Laura's flashback to her conversation with Rean the night before would be the highlight to most. Eh, oh well. Just means I wrote the Millium part better than I thought I had; I had very much felt that it felt...not lackluster, just...off, for some reason. Not sure why. But if you liked it, then I must have done something right! As for shit hitting the fan...well, yes and no. What happens below, in this chapter, can certainly be describe as shit hitting the fan. Me, however, I'm saving that description for what comes in Nord. Because to me, that is when shit truly hits the fan. And with that tease, I'll shut up now, can't reveal my secrets after all, right? :P

I feel you there. Both Cold Steel 2 and Persona 5 I marathoned, beating one within a week, and the other in a similar span of time. Such great fucking games!

Here we are, next time has arrived.

Thank you, I appreciate that. :)

Apex85: Beware ye, any spoilers from this point on, and it shall be off with your head! XP Seriously though, avoiding spoilers for the next two games is like dodging grenades and landmines sometimes...so damn difficult. But when the time comes, all the effort will be worth it!

I'd like to argue, even if just to play devil's advocate, but honestly, at least for the most part, you're pretty much right. So...yeah.

Nope. Never really heard of it either. Fill me in via PM and I'll consider picking it up, if you're that sure of it. If you don't mind, of course.

Yep, that was how it was intended, to be touching. Glad it worked! Oh, is that so? Well, I won't say you're wrong. But you're not necessarily right, either...as I'm sure Rean would see the differences in the two's circumstances and as such, would have a different approach to it. Similar, yes, but noticeably different as well. And as for this story...well, you will see eventually. All I'll really say is this, you never know what Crow might do to set Rean off...

With the news that their bringing back two of the localization staff who worked on the first two games, I have become rather cautiously optimistic as to how things will turn out. Also, if you've seen the trailer, we already know Sean Chiplock is reprising his role as Rean, so that's good. Oh yeah, and D.C Douglas, the voice of Valimar and Rufus has also been confirmed to be returning. Now we just need Fie and so, so many others...I'll just hold my breath here as I anxiously wait.

RedBurningDragon: True. Not that I could remember. I addressed that to the first reviewer. So...yeah, once everyone tells me which option they'd like me to take, I'll do it, most likely. In a way, I suppose. Yes, yes it is.

Tom: To a certain extent, yes. But if you read some of my chapters carefully, you'll notice I mentioned how Rean had already technically met a certain Duo we all know from Zephyr...

KingPlotBunny: Well, they fucked up Ys pretty bad, so...yeah, I'm concerned. That said, from what I understand at least, a different team than who did that game is working on Cold Steel 3. On top of that, they're bringing back two of the localization staff who worked on the first two games. Finally, it seems like they're trying to get back as much as the original voice cast as possible, all we can do is hope they're successful in that regard. As such, I have become rather cautiously optimistic as to how things will turn out.

Guest: I see. That's your guess? Not bad, not bad at all. You're not quite right, but I will say you are rather close. Which one of your guesses is the one that's close? That I'm not telling you. Heh heh. Thanks for your time and review, they are appreciated. If you're trying to guess the first time he'll transform, well, you're somewhat less close, that's for sure. Anyway, moving on!

Armarenger: I don't know anything about that or what's going on. So, for now at least, I'm staying out of whatever drama it is you're talking about.

Once more, allow me to thank all those who reviewed, and allow me to thank those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts since the last update as well. SkullGrunt07, Nightingale577, Raven armata, thewarrior954, Drsirmrguy, Valiant Chord, Pyro36, SavageDom, waynersoulz, dustinlemque, 1 up, thank you!

This is my longest chapter, for this story, to date. Several thousand words more than the last chapter of this story, I'm just a little proud of this one. I really hope you guys enjoy the hell out of it. We've got just about everything in this chapter, so make sure to let me know what you think of it. Anyway, it's finale time. Let's go. Please read, review and enjoy.

* * *

 ** _ACT I - CHAPTER II - FINALE_**

 **...**

Inside the Provincial Military base located within Bareahard...

"Sir, I'm afraid the men you sent to apprehend the Regnitz boy have lost him, along with the rest of the students." A slightly higher-ranked soldier than said men reported to his superior.

"What? How could a bunch of teenagers give them the slip!?" The provincial officer inquired with aggravation.

"My apologies Sir, it seems the students gave them the slip when they escaped into the underground waterway." The subordinate of the two elaborated.

"And why the hell didn't they follow them!?" The higher ranking man demanded to know. "Are they really so cowardly that they couldn't handle a few monsters that might get in their way down there?!"

"N-No, of course not, Sir!" He attempted to assure his CO. "They simply thought it more prudent to return to base and inform us of the new developments."

"New developments? Explain."

"You see, Sir, it isn't just the students who have fled into the waterway beneath the city. We also have two strangers down there, as well as the strange object that infiltrated Aurochs Fort yesterday." The, now, somewhat nervous man explained.

"What!?" It was an exclamation, not a real question, as made evident as he continued.. "Is that so...? Well, then...someone needs to show them their place. Especially the rat that dared to scurry around our fort." The officer stated. "Release the beasts into the waterway!" He ordered with a bark. "The rat and those students, as well as whoever these strangers are, can serve as test subjects for them!"

"B-But Sir, I thought we weren't supposed to harm the students. Not to mention that, according to the squad you sent to apprehend them, Lo-"

"Shut it! Do as I've ordered, or else!"

"Y-Yes Sir!"

* * *

Beneath Bareahard, in the underground waterway...

The mysterious young girl found herself trapped like a rat, having literally run into a dead end. The stone walls all around here were quite thick, to such a degree, in fact, that it would take more than a few heavy attacks from her silver contraption to smash her way through and make an escape route. And unfortunately, she didn't have the amount of time she would need for such things.

"Trapped like a rat. You ain't goin' anywhere you little shithead." The voice of Warrick came from behind her, as it mocked her.

"So much for running." The young girl remarked, as the metallic doll she rode atop of turned to face her pursuers. Hopping down off its head, she landed just in front of it. Feet firmly planted, she took the hand she'd been using to apply pressure to the bleeding anew wound on her right arm and formed a fist. "I'll have to fight my way out." She decided, even knowing that she couldn't hope to defeat both of them on her own.

"You can try, but you already know you're outmatched." Comrade R stated neutrally.

"You ain't got a chance in hell. Trying to tangle with us is how you wound up one arm down in the first place." Warrick said matter-of-factly. "We were either to eliminate you, or, if possible, bring you in alive. Basically, we were given leeway to deal with you as we see fit. R here insisted we bring you in, either because he doesn't have the stomach to kill a brat like you, or because he thinks his friends could get something outta ya. I was willing to go along with that, but after all the trouble you've given us, I've changed my mind." He informed her, his annoyance worn openly, as he drew one of his machetes. "I mean, you had us chasing you around the whole damn night, and nearly the entire morning, for fuck's sake! On top of that, you made me lose my favorite pair of sunglasses with all the shenanigans you pulled trying to get away!" He expressed his frustration verbally. "Time to die, shithead." It was a simple utterance, yet the killing intent felt behind it would be frightening to any normal person.

"What do you think you're doing!?" The man called R demanded to know. "We agreed to bring her back alive." He reminded his unwanted companion.

"Yeah, well, too bad. This brat has gotten on my last nerve." He responded simply, before pivoting forward to cut the child down.

The strange girl was many things, normal was not even close to being one of them though. As such, she did not feel any sort of fear as the machete came at her, rather, even though she knew it was all but pointless, she threw her good arm forward and attempted to fight back in what was, more than likely, the last moments of her life.

In that one moment, as the young girl's life was to come to an end, a number of things happened all at once. The first, as she threw her uninjured arm forward, the contraption behind her mimicked her movements and threw it's left arm forward for a strong straight punch. The second, Warrick reacted by using his free hand to unsheathe his second machete and swiftly brought it to the front, where he used it to block the strike from the silver doll-thing, holding it at bay. Finally, as the steel of the machete was to carve into small girl's body, it was intercepted, a loud clang of metal on metal ringing out as the would be fatal slash was effectively blocked.

"What!?" Warrick exclaimed in shock.

"Who...!?" R voiced his surprise in a similar manner.

"Huh?" The kid muttered in confusion, blinking a number of times in a dazed manner, taking a moment or two to register exactly what had just happened.

There, standing between her and Warrick, was one Rean Schwarzer. Brandishing his tachi, he held the sword horizontally, one hand tightly gripping the hilt, and the other pushing against the flat of the blade, to reinforce it, as it held up against the machete. The weapons were locked together, preventing any further advance.

"Rean!" Fie called his name, standing just a few short feet from the engagement, twin gunswords drawn.

"I'm fine!" He assured his childhood friend, lightly panting from the excessive amount of sprinting he'd been doing to get here in time. Fie had kept pace with him, though she seemed no worse for ware, he, on the other hand, needed a second to catch his breath. Unfortunately, that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't you two. I've been meaning to come looking for you punks, but just haven't found the time. Feeling talkative yet? I still need to know who did my brother in, after all." As the jaeger spoke, he turned up the pressure, as he slowly put more and more force behind the machete poised to cut down the peculiar little girl. The raven-haired teen stood his ground, not giving an inch, even in spite of the might of his aggressor. Though signs of strain did begin to show, as he grit his teeth and dug his feet in.

"This was just a simple grab'em and bag'em job, so I certainly didn't expect to find you guys here. I must be one lucky bastard to just have you drop into my lap like this again." The man known as the Silver Haze regarded them with amusement. "And look at you! Last time I saw you, you could only flail at me, when you could actually manage to stand anyway. And now here you are, trying so desperately to block one of my attacks. How precious." The purple-haired man mocked Rean.

The young swordsman opted to focus on keeping up his defense, rather than respond to the barb.

"Aw, not feeling playful? I was honestly hoping for more of a reaction." Warrick admitted.

"Are you okay?" Rean inquired as to the well-being of the girl he was currently guarding from harm.

"Uh, yeah, for the most part, I'm fine." The turquoise-haired girl answered the somewhat older boy, seeming a little...taken aback what was currently happening.

"Oh, so you'll talk to her, but not me?" The veteran jaeger queried facetiously, only to be ignored.

"Rean! Fie!" Came the voices of their classmates then, as the other three arrived, drawing everyone's attention to them momentarily, causing Comrade R to take action and guard Warrick's back.

Jusis and Machias were panting from the excessive amounts of running they'd just finished doing, but were more than capable of drawing their weapons upon noticing the scene before them. Laura was more along the lines of Rean, showing just a hint of exertion from that run, though it seemed to disappear as she whipped out her large bastard sword.

"It's that jaeger from Celdic." Laura noted, more for Machias and Jusis' benefit than her own.

"The one who managed to fight off you, Fie and Gaius? That's...concerning." Machias assessed simply.

"Sounds like we have quite the fight on our hands." Jusis remarked.

"Damn, it's gettin' crowded down here, ain't it?" The Silver Haze cracked with a smirk. "I'll level with you kids, I've always been a little...claustrophobic. Tight, confined spaces...I'll be frank, they freak me the fuck out. So I'm sure you understand that a man with my phobia...well, let's just say I might have to...whittle down the numbers a little." He threatened, smirk suddenly absent, an aura of menace seeming to exude from him in that moment. This aura made it all too clear he could and very well would slaughter them all.

'He's going to kill you! He's going to kill all of you!' Rean's instincts screamed at him. In spite of this, he would not flee. 'I'm not going to just leave this girl here like this!' He strengthened his resolve, as he attempted to force the machete back. It was of no real use, however, as it already took a considerable amount of the humble swordsman's strength to keep the older man's weapon at bay, so no real noticeable ground could possibly be gained. No, the only one who would really notice any change at all, was the older man himself, as he felt more force behind the sword attempting to shield his target, and by extension, push him back.

"Just what are you up to? What business do you have in Bareahard?" The aloof noble questioned the two men.

"Simple. We were in the area when we heard news of an intruder at Aurochs Fort. The description matched up with our target. As such, we sought her out while she was still within the city limits." The man known simply as R answered in a straight forward manner.

'That was far less difficult to get out of them than I had assumed it would be.' The blonde thought to himself. "Who could you possibly work for that would be imbecilic enough to send you into the heart of Kreuzen Province? All it would take is a single soldier or noble to tip off the Duke, and then you'd have the whole of the provincial army upon you." He informed them. "Believe me when I say, my father does not take kindly to interlopers."

"Oh, is that so?" Warrick responded then, turning his head ever so slightly, so that he was capable of staring at the young blonde through the peripheral vision of his left eye. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, if I were you. I doubt that, the pompous windbag that the duke is, would care all that much if someone were to just...'take care' of one little pest. And even if he did, well, we have a way to silence his objections on the matter." He apprised the noble boy.

Taking this as a threat against his father, Jusis' dour expression worsened, as he began scowling.

In that moment, with Warrick distracted, Rean's eyes sought out Fie. He knew something had to be done, quickly, as all their lives were now at stake. As fuchsia met yellow-green, the urgency in his eyes reached her, as he enjoined her to take action. Without speaking a word, the childhood friends were able to communicate in that one moment, as Fie nodded in affirmation. Plan of action formed, both prepared to take the measures needed to turn this situation in their favor.

Fie put one of her gunswords away, before beginning to subtly reach for something else tucked away on her person.

Rean, not daring to look away from the machete inches from his face now that his eyes were trained on it once more, attempted to prepare the girl behind him for what was to come. "Listen, you need to be ready to run."

"Run...? But..." The peculiar girl seemed like she wanted to say something more, but seemed to think better of it. "Alright."

"Run?" Warrick repeated, shifting his eyes to focus on the two in front of him. He opted not to turn his head back toward them, so he could keep an eye on those behind him as well, cover his bases as it were. "That shithead ain't going anywhere. When I decide I'ma kill someone, I don't go letting them escape like some sort of idiot. I'll cut you all to pieces before I let that happen."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Rean proclaimed passionately, as he pushed forward with everything he had at once, nearly managing to butt the machete away entirely. Warrick's weapon bucked back as a result of all the young swordsman's effort, acquiring the jaeger's full attention as a result, as he pushed back and returned them to their deadlock.

"Fie, now!" Rean called out in that moment, closing his eyes and angling his body to block out the turquoise-haired girl's field of vision.

In the span of half a second, Fie fished out the armament she desired, and tossed it at the feet of their enemies. "Close your eyes and cover your ears!" She warned her classmates, before doing exactly that herself; already having put away her other gunsword to free up her hands to do so.

"Wha-"

"Ho-"

"Whe-"

"Shit!" R cursed as he attempted to jump back from the explosive device.

"Fuck!" Warrick spat as he realized he'd be taking the brunt of the pressurized force that was about to be unleashed.

"Run!" Rean shouted at the last possible second, giving the signal for the strange girl behind him to flee.

The flashbang exploded in that moment, filling the entirety of the immediate area of the underground waterway with a blinding white light. The sound compounded with that, the eardrum damaging racket leaving those unfortunate enough to not to have covered their ears with a painful and disorienting ringing in them.

...

...

...

It took a handful of moments before most anyone could regain their bearings. Even as the bright light faded, anyone unlucky enough to not cover or close their eyes remained temporarily blinded for a precious handful of seconds. All that would be needed to make an escape.

"Sunuva cock sucking motherfucker!" Warrick exclaimed angrily, his eyes completely useless to him in that moment. He was completely susceptible to attack with his lack of vision, and to make matters worse, he felt the damage that had already been done all too keenly. His back ached something fierce and had undoubtedly accrued several deep bruises, his neck felt like it was on fire, and a general discomfort settled on his entire back half, from his scalp down to his heels. All in all, he was left hurting a bit from that little trick. However, it was nothing he couldn't handle. "Just give me a few seconds, and then I promise I'll get around to gutting you little shits!" He menaced, managing to sound far more convincing than a man who'd just been stunned so easily had any right to be.

The obnoxious and painful ringing left over from the explosion of the flash grenade left the students of Group A, with the exception of Fie, disoriented. Their equilibria had been disturbed quite a bit, leaving them vulnerable as they tried to regain their bearings.

The first to manage it was Rean, daring to open his eyes to see the state of things. Warrick was blindly swinging his machetes about while he wobbled, the danger that presented causing the young swordsman to unconsciously take a few steps back for his own safety.

Fie was redrawing her twin gunswords, preparing to attack.

The other members of Group A were almost stumbling as they attempted to reorient themselves, Laura being the first of the three to successfully do so.

It was then that Rean saw the mysterious girl, once more atop the flying silver object, as it sped away from their location. It was unclear whether she'd been hit by either the light or noise of the grenade, but it didn't really matter, as she was escaping on the power of the contraption, rather than her own. She'd done as he bid, and fled. As such, the raven-haired teen couldn't help the smirk of satisfaction that crossed his face.

Unfortunately, it was short lived. As he took note of the fact that the cloaked man, having managed to either protect himself from the flash and bang of the grenade, or reduce the effects to such a degree that they failed to impede him in any real regard, was giving chase. As such, the smirk faded from his face just as fast as it had formed. "Fie, the girl!" He shouted, diverting her attention from the stunned jaeger to the fleeing girl.

Adjusting her aim, Fie left Warrick where he was and prepared to fire on the cloaked man following closely behind said girl. A quick squeeze of her triggers, and two bullets were fired off, shooting right at the currently nameless man.

The bang as she fired warned her target her shots were coming, however, he lacked the speed to dodge in time. He was halfway through leaping out of the way, only to get struck in the left leg and right arm with the metal projectiles, eliciting a grunt and grasp of pain. This man stumbled, as he began to bleed from his new bullet wounds, but he did not fall. Showing his fortitude, he recovered and regained his footing, before continuing to pursue the fleeing girl, opting to focus on that rather than attempting to retaliate. Only, his speed had been almost halved, leaving him woefully incapable of catching her at this point, barring any freak occurrences.

...

At the same time, Warrick was drawing dangerously close to Rean with his wild, manic swings, machetes all but flailing about. No longer wobbling, and effectively advancing upon him, the affable swordsman knew the jaeger's eyesight was returning to him.

The blurry image of someone filled the compromised field of vision Warrick's squinted eyes offered him. So distorted and fuzzy the visage was, he couldn't hope to make out the gender of the person adjacent from him, let alone who they actually were. It was only worsened by the fact that what he saw, the mass of fuzzy blob that it was, had a double. 'I'm seeing double, just fucking great!' He noted mentally with vexation. "I don't know which one of you brats is in front of me, but you're so fuck-"

Daring to act, Rean bumrushed Warrick, ramming his shoulder into his solar plexus, all but taking the older man off his feet as their bodies collided. The humble swordsman received a small gash on his left shoulder for his efforts, but as the Silver Haze was forced to take a knee to keep from losing his footing entirely and hitting the ground, the dark-haired boy considered it a win.

Not pressing his luck, Rean pressed on past the temporarily downed man, regrouping with the others.

...

Satisfied with the result of her shots, Fie returned her attention to Warrick, only to see him down on one knee, and Rean returning safely to her and the rest of Group A.

"How about giving us a little more warning next time!?" Machias vocalized his aggravation, as he joined the two.

"It would be nice not to have to worry about being blinded by your own allies." Jusis added with the usual sass his classmates were coming to expect of him, as he too joined them. "Though, I will concede that it seems to have turned the tide in our favor."

"I must agree, that was...most unpleasant." Laura opined.

Despite the flak aimed at her, Fie brushed them all off. "I told you to cover your ears and close your eyes. Not my fault if you only did one or the other." She replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"RAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

Two animalistic roars rang throughout the underground waterway then, echoing thanks to the vastness of the space beneath the city.

"What was that!?" Machias exclaimed with shock, beginning to look around, bewildered by the sudden beastly wails.

"Whatever it is, it sounds like it's headed this way!" Jusis apprised.

"Might be some kind of trained beast." Fie opined.

"Gah, you've got to be joking!" The bespectacled genius lamented the thought, knowing the former jaeger was more likely right then wrong.

"There are two of'em, and they're big!" Rean let the others know, as he felt the beasts approach.

"And fast." The silver-haired maiden told them further, as she looked towards her right, the same direction the girl and cloaked man had run off. 'They're coming from that direction.' She noted mentally. "They'll be on us any second." She warned the others.

Knowing they were about to be in one hell of a precarious situation, Fie quickly put Warrick in her sights once more. He, in his eagerness to get them back, had been too hasty and found himself face first on the ground, as the effects of the flashbang finally subsided. He had clearly yet to regain his sense of balance and right his equilibrium, but it would only be a few moments now, what with his vision finally returning to normal and the ringing finally fading out of existence. He seemed to be taking a moment to collect himself properly, as he'd gone as far as to put his machetes down on the ground before trying to get up.

They couldn't afford to have someone as strong as Warrick in their vicinity while they were indisposed with whatever beasts were coming for them. Attempting to do battle with just him as their opponent was extremely ill-advised, to say the least. To be distracted with some manner of monsters while he's still around, and gunning for them? Straight-up suicide.

Not wasting another moment, she pulled the triggers of her twin gunswords and fired upon the struggling to stand man.

Alas, she was just a second too late, as something leaped into the pathway of the metal projectiles, causing them to ricochet upon impact, altering their trajectory and sending them flying upward before hitting the ceiling and embedding themselves in the stone above them.

Who or what was it that had saved Warrick's life in that moment? The very same beast the students had heard approaching, having lept over the teens and landed directly in the path toward Warrick.

This beast was rather large, roughly the size of an orbal-powered automobile. Covered in dark fur akin to storm clouds in color, mouth full of razor sharp teeth, deep, dark black eyes, three huge claws on each of it's feet, quadrupedal in nature, the creature looked to be a massive, savage wolf. Monster or mutant canine, none of the teenagers could tell you which. Two other features of this animal caught one's immediate attention, the first was the fact that the fur on it's tail stood on end, looking akin to sharp quills, and the second, was that it was adorned in gold-colored armor. From the tip of it's snout to the base of it's tail, along with down the length all four of it's legs, was covered in protective metal plating. More than adequate to deflect the ex-jaeger's bullets.

And to make matters that much worse, there were two of these monsters. The second was not dissimilar to the first, only its fur was red and its armor silver-colored.

With one of these creatures in front, and one behind, and taking into account their size, Group A was effectively surrounded.

"Some sort of dog-like beasts..." Laura noted aloud.

"Argh...we're surrounded!" Machias stated with distress.

"They're very well trained." Fie remarked.

...

"Those stupid bastards...letting these mutts loose...goddamn idiots. Provincial army, yeah, the province of pain in my ass!" Warrick grumbled in a vexed manner as he picked his face up off the ground and got himself back on one knee.

...

"D-Does your family's army truly employ monsters like this!?" The class VP incredulously questioned his rival directly.

"No one ever told me!" Jusis barked back with some exasperation, clearly just as surprised by this revelation as the others were.

Rather than attack, the canine-like beasts began to circle the teenagers then, forcing the five to back up against one and other until they were all back to back with each other, enclosing them in a trap.

"Looks like they're more interested in keeping us here than eating us." The youngest member of the group pointed out.

"Grr...they're pretty smart, for beasts." The dark green-haired bookworm said with a tsk of annoyance.

"We don't have much choice, we'll have to fight them as well." The aloof noble said.

"We'd best do it fast. We can't afford to linger here any longer. Not with someone like Warrick down here with us." Rean advised his group. "Plus, we have to make sure that girl got out safely."

"Mm." His childhood friend agreed, shifting her stance slightly, gunswords at the ready.

"Understood." The bespectacled boy affirmed, grip tightening on his orbal shotgun.

"We'll handle these beasts and be on our way." The well-spoken swordswoman assured, moving the position of her sword as battle was about to begin.

"Indeed we shall. Bad dogs require stern discipline." The dignified blonde quipped, saber poised to strike.

"Time to wrap up this month's field study..." Rean began, as he prepared himself. "Class VII, Group A...commence attack on targets!" He proclaimed.

All five of them stepped forward in that moment, a split-second from pivoting forward and engaging the monsters in combat, when...

"I am not in the mood for this shit!" A disgusting sounding squelch and a loud gurgling whine accompanied this exclamation, as the red canine-monster stopped circling and it's body seized up.

Their advance halted for the moment, the five students were unsure of what was happening. They needn't wonder for long, however.

As the creature reached up to claw at something, and it's hind legs began kick, the beast flailed about for a few seconds; blood splattered down onto the stone floor in big glops, before the length of a machete popped out the side of the creature's face, the side facing the teens, splashing blood onto most of Group A as a result. Not quite a death-blow, the fearsome looking creature gave a pathetic sounding high-pitched whine, the sound of it choking on it's own blood joined it, as its death screech grew in volume. For good reason, as the morbid sound of flesh being torn and cut through reached everyone's ears then, as the machete was pulled upward, before coming down forcefully and severing the dog-monster's head from it's body entirely. The hunk of flesh hit the ground with a dull thud before rolling a tad in the direction of the teens; crimson liquid beginning to squirt out of its neck-hole in copious amounts.

The other beast halted in its tracks, seemingly shellshocked that it's counterpart had been so summarily vanquished. It simply watched, it's eyes wide.

The deceased monster's body fell over after a short moment then, hitting the stone ground with a smack, revealing the form of the creature's killer, a rather agitated Warrick, one of his machetes smothered in blood, his face and chest not much better in that department, all but covered in red as well.

As if a switch had been flipped, the second canine-monster snarled, becoming aggressive in an instant, as if the death of it's kin had just now registered in its mind. Wasting no more time, it lept over the teenagers, fangs bared, claws at the ready as it came down upon the killer of its brother, intent on tearing the man to shreds.

Only that's not how it went down.

"You want some too mutt!? BRING IT!" Warrick cried, as he brought both machetes up and thrusted them upward, and proceeded to skewer the beast in mid-air, burying the length of the blades into its soft underbelly. This stopped it in its tracks, and elicited a high-pitch yelp from the massive-canine.

"Didn't work out like you thought it would, did it, you oversized fucking rat!?" The Silver Haze berated the monster. As he did, he pushed further upward, shoving the length of his weapons deeper into the thing's insides, continuing to do so till the sickening squelch that signified they'd bust out its back could be heard. This was accompanied by the sound of a small clang as the tips of the machetes met the armor atop it's back.

In complete agony, the monster-dog kicked its leg fruitlessly, struggling to get the steel out of its body and get its feet, or rather paws, back on the ground, howling in pain all the while.

With no further warning or preamble, Warrick used his incredible strength and moved his machetes, still buried through the monster's body, in opposing directions, crossing his arms as his weapons cleaved through all the meaty flesh of the beast. In one fluid motion, he bisected the canine-creature, separating its front and back half, creating an almost literal blood shower, as nearly the entire amount of blood it possessed in its body, as well as most of its internal organs, escaped and splashed down upon the ground, splattering on everyone in the vicinity. The two pieces of its cadaver followed suit, falling from their suspended state and hitting the ground with a meaty thwack.

With both monsters dead, what followed was a single moment of complete and utter dead silence. Then...

"HOLY SHIT!" Machias exclaimed with shock, eyes wide, completely perturbed by all that just happened. So much so, that he hardly even noticed the way his pants had been painted in monster blood.

"He killed those beasts so swiftly, so effortlessly..." Laura stated the obvious, rather shocked in her own right. "He doesn't look like he exerted himself even in the slightest, he just looks...annoyed." She observed, sounding like she could hardly believe such a thing, even as she wore the life-liquid of the beasts on her jacket.

"Killed? I'd say executed would be a more apt term in this case." Jusis opined. "Still, you're right. He looks as though he'd done this a hundred times before, and is simply getting fed up with it. It's...unsettling, to say the least." His voice was level and his tone deceptively calm, however, the surprise and trepidation the young noble was feeling were as clear as day in his visage, especially so as he wiped the monster's blood off of his face.

Fie was silent, seemingly unaffected by Warrick's showing. She retained her neutral disposition, even as she cleaned the blood off of her face with one of her jacket sleeves.

'Shit. This is bad.' Rean couldn't help but think to himself, as he cleared away the crimson on his right cheek. 'We have no choice now...we'll have to fight our way out.' So concerned over the ordeal to come regarding Warrick, the raven-haired teen couldn't find the time to be distressed or freaked out by the butchering that had just taken place.

"Fie, Warrick...h-how strong is he, e-exactly? From what you and the others told us, I already know none of us can beat him one on one." Machias prefaced, doing his best to hide the abundance of distress he felt. "But if we were all to fight him at once...?"

"Warrick isn't quite the same caliber of warrior Sara is, but he's on such a higher level than us that it hardly matters." In response to this inquiry, Fie apprised the others of this disquieting truth with a shake of her head. "That said, it looks like we don't have much of a choice. He's set his sights on us, so we're not getting out of here without a fight."

"You're goddamn right!" Warrick confirmed the ex-jaeger's words as truth, shaking the blood off his weapons as he did, not bothering to do the same with all the gore covering his form. "Not only did you help that shithead get away, but you nearly burned out my fucking corneas with that flash grenade! Add on to that fact with that you punks still haven't given me the name of the son of a bitch that killed my brother, well, I'm sure you can understand why I might be a little, maybe just a tad-COMPLETELY FUCKING LIVID!" His nostrils flared, his eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was quite mad, he certainly looked the part of a psychopath in that moment. Needless to say, that didn't help matters regarding the building fear and apprehension felt by the majority of the teenagers present, Fie the only exception, and only to the fear.

"D-Do we have any chance of making it out of this?" The bespectacled bookworm blurted this question out without thinking, anxiety radiating off of him. He was no idiot, he was considered a genius, in fact. As such, it wasn't hard to figure out, not only by the oppressive air their enemy gave off, but the strength and combat prowess he'd already shown just by killing those massive canines so easily, that they were in serious trouble.

"I'd say our chances are rather slim, honestly." The reserved blonde shared his brutally honest evaluation, looking rather worried himself.

"We may fall, but we will not do so without a fight. Let us show him the might of our class." The well spoken swordswoman proclaimed with determination.

Rean cast his gaze to his childhood friend then, their eyes meeting in that moment. "You with me?" It was a simple query, one that in most situations would require clarification as to what the speaker meant. In this instance, between these two, nothing of the sort was required.

"Always." She responded without hesitation, her faith and trust placed in him long before this.

The humble swordsman's heart almost skipped a beat at the unwavering trust he found inside the yellow-green irises of the younger girl. His courage bolstered by this, the Schwarzer heir spoke to the others, in an attempt rally them. "This is completely outside the scope of our field study. We aren't ready to face an opponent with strength of this magnitude, not yet. However, we have no choice. We can't allow ourselves to die here." He stated resolutely, taking a moment to allow his gaze to sweep across the faces of each of his classmates, in doing so, he saw they were paying rapt attention. "If we're to make it out of this alive, we must stand and fight, together. Combat links are our only hope at this point. It's not fair of me to ask this of you all, but you have to put your differences aside, completely forget about them, as if they don't even exist. Fie, Laura, Machias, Jusis, you all have to link with one and other, no matter how difficult it might be. You HAVE to." He put immense emphasis on the have, unable to stress how much they truly had to do this if they wanted to survive this.

"Right!" Machias acknowledged.

"Understood!" Jusis and Laura both affirmed.

"Ja!" Fie found herself using the old jaeger slang for yes without even thinking about it, simply responding the way that felt most natural in the heat of the moment.

Machias and Jusis formed their link, and Fie and Laura did the same, managing to finally form one again, more than likely due to the extenuating circumstances they now faced. Rean followed suit, linking with Fie, allowing him to feel just how shaky the link between his childhood friend and the other girl was. 'It'll just have to do. We're out of time to prepare.' He remarked mentally, as he noticed Warrick growing impatient.

The veteran jaeger holstered one of his machetes, slipping it back into one of the dual leather sheathes on his back. "I'm gonna enjoy killing you little bastards. That said, I don't want this to end too quickly. I have some frustration to vent, after all. It wouldn't do for you all to drop dead before I was finished getting it all out." His demeanor had calmed to a certain degree, though the dangerous look hadn't faded from his eyes. "So, I'll just use one of my machetes to hack you up." His arrogance was abundant, as he made a show of the fact that he would only be using one half of the pair of his signature weapons.

"Class VII, Group A, prepare for combat!" Rean ordered.

* * *

The cloaked man known only as Comrade R fled round a corner, stopping once out of sight and pushing his body taut against a wall as he hid in the shadows the underground waterway's maze of caverns provided. He concealed himself in an effort to go undetected, as six men marched past. They all wore blue and white uniforms with gold accents, giving them away as provincial soldiers, which explained the bayonetted rifles they were toting.

Comrade R watched as they passed by, noting that one of the six was an officer, while the other five were simple run of the mill grunts. They failed to notice his presence entirely, leaving him unmolested as they marched deeper into the waterway.

"That damned imbecile! He should have informed me that Lord Jusis was down here the moment he was aware!" The Provincial Officer grumbled angrily. "Pick up the pace men! The Kazakh Doven may have been ordered to neutralize their targets non-lethally, however, to such rabid beasts, that does not exclude maiming their prey! Our young Lord is in danger!"

The officer may have been barking at his men at an elevated volume, but R heard no further communication, as he moved past and made for the exit of the waterway.

'I lost sight of the target because of that little distraction. And with my arm and leg like this, I've no hope of catching up.' The cloaked man reasoned with himself mentally, as he was hit with fresh air as he escaped the underground. "I'd best report our failure. The sooner C knows, the sooner he can deal with the situation."

* * *

The battle between the man known as the Silver Haze and Class VII Group A had just barely begun, and yet, one side had already shown itself to have quite the advantage in this conflict.

"Rgh!" Laura grunted as she was forced to the ground by another attack.

"Aghhh!" Machias vocalized his pain, as he was knocked to the ground and sent sliding across it.

"Argh!" Jusis soon followed suit, having been taken off his feet not a second afterward.

"Crap!" Rean was the jaeger's three for three, as he was sent tumbling across the stone.

Warrick was smacking them around like they were nothing, they knew it and he knew it. It was child's play for him. However, the battle was just beginning, and the teens had so much more fight in them than what they'd shown...

The violent mercenary had to dodge for the first time in this skirmish, as Fie leapt at him with the intent to slice open his face. Sidestepping to the left away from her, he moved to slash her with his machete, only to be blocked with one gunsword and have the other jabbed at him with the purpose of puncturing his flesh. Pulling back allowed him to keep that from happening, but also let his younger counterpart sidestep as well and try for his face once more, thrusting her right-held weapon up at his eyes. Using the same arm he wielded his weapon with, he locked his limb with hers, keeping it from reaching its target. She was already following up, having thrown one of her legs up for a kick to his left-side, only to have that stopped as well, the older man catching her by the shin with his free hand. Left defenseless to her other gunsword with both his arms and hands occupied, the fifteen year old moved to stab him in the side.

Releasing her arm and leg, the amoral man stepped back out of harms way. Immediately adapting, the silver-haired maiden pivoted forward and performed a spin-kick, aiming to nail him in the center of his torso, just to have it halted in its tracks immediately by the same hand that'd stopped her previous kick. Having anticipated that, she'd already taken aim and fired by the time the sole of her shoe met his palm. Only to be denied, as her enemy correspondingly predicted her actions and blocked the oncoming bullets with his machete, sending them ricocheting off in the distance.

Thinking on her feet, the stoic teen used her predicament for leverage, as she kicked her restrained foot against its captor, while swinging her other leg upward, removing her person from the ground entirely, and using her free foot to kick her opponent right off in his face. His head was knocked back and his grip loosened, even if only momentarily, allowing her to pry her other foot from his grasp. As such, she was capable of sticking the landing as she recovered from her falling motion, doing so on both feet. In doing so, she had shown her back to her adversary, but she wouldn't allow him so much as a second to take advantage of that. Spinning around to correct her position, she raised her left leg and used the momentum, and proceeded to hit him with a reverse hook kick. She rammed the heel of her Strega brand sneaker into the side of his head as hard as she possibly could, and had him stumbling as a result.

"ARCUS, activate!" Came Laura's voice, getting Fie to notice her out the corner of her eye.

As the ARCUS began to lightly glow in her left hand, Laura eyed the distance between her foe and herself. "Fire Bolt!" A split-second later, a large fiery orb had taken form in front of the noble girl, before being sent flying at said foe.

With the speed of the man-made magic, it wouldn't be easy to dodge. Nevertheless, that's exactly what Warrick did, as he recovered from the blow to the head and jumped several feet to the right, avoiding the art, leaving it to fly past and smack into one of the stone walls and explode against it upon impact.

Blocking Fie's attempt to gut him with her twin gunswords as she reached him once more, the arrogant jaeger was left with no choice but to duck as Laura tried, and nearly succeeded, to take his head off with one strong swing of her bastard sword. The blue-haired maiden had rushed in to assist, and assist she did, as the two began working in tandem to combat the veteran killer.

Pushing the youngest one away, the solo-jaeger returned to his full height and met the oncoming slash from the noble girl's large sword with the his own weapon. Free hand available, he used it to alter her stance, as he shoved her, palm meeting shoulder, causing her to break form and focus on not stumbling. Freed up, he spun to face the ex-jaeger, leg kicking up in an attempt to clobber her with the length of the limb, to which she ducked under. Doubtlessly she was going to attack his mid-section then, so he preempted her by swinging his machete her way, making her abandon that course of action to instead block.

His still elevated leg found another use rather than returning to it's place on the ground, as he threw it back to kick the sword-maiden at his back, to which she responded by meeting his foot with the flat of her blade. Before either female could counterattack, he returned both extended extremities to their default positions, before dropping low to the ground. Crouched low, he proceeded to spin his body a full hundred and eighty degrees, machete extended, this maneuver intended to slice through flesh and bone, severing their legs from their bodies. Not that it actually happened, as both targets hopped over the swiftly moving weapon, the moment their feet returned to the ground they were attacking once more.

...

Block, block, dodge, block, block, dodge. Sidestep, sidestep, backstep. Block, block, block, counter. It was almost a pattern, as the older man defended himself against these young girls. One would go high and the other low, they'd try for the center at the same time, then they'd switch. They threw a volley of attacks at him, attempting to at least knock him off balance, if not outright overpower him. And with only wielding one of his machetes, they had a better chance now then they ever would. Moving so fluidly and cooperatively, the others dare not intervene, lest they trip them up or get in their way.

Unfortunately, things rarely go so smoothly.

A well timed parry of Laura's massive sword, and a stiff slap across Fie's face had the two strongest members of Class VII knocking into each other, their bodies colliding. And just like that, the combat link they'd tried so very hard to maintain, shaky as it might have been, broke completely, shocking all those present, excluding the hostile. None more so than the girls themselves though, their eyes going wide as they looked toward one and other in shock and disbelief, as if one of them would have the answer to what just happened and they only needed to look to them to receive it.

"Fie! Laura!" Rean shouted in concern.

The duo, now completely open to attack, were in a bad spot as Warrick did just that. Fie only barely got her weapons up in time to block a strong kick from her older counterpart, the force behind it sending her skidding back a couple feet.

The purple-haired retrograde turned to Laura, meeting her eyes with his own as he did. It was then that he decided to toss his machete upward into the air. Still so shaken by the sudden severance of her link with Fie, the usually composed swordswoman found herself incapable of thinking straight or pulling herself together in time. Evidenced by the way her amber orbs followed the machete up as it ascended, only to return to the form of her enemy a moment later, just to have her vision filled with the fist that would crack her in the face. Nearly losing her footing as a result of the blow to the face, she was unprepared for the following strikes, as her ribs were assaulted by both sets of the older man's knuckles. Her world was rocked just after that, as the length of his leg collided full force with her skull, roundhousing her straight to the ground, her body hitting the stone with a dull thud.

Dexterously catching his weapon as it came back down, he moved to cut his younger counterpart down, only to be forced to evade at the last second. "Arc Slash!" Jumping away some feet for his own safety, the thirty something-year old man watched as an blue-colored arc-shaped shockwave of energy cut through the air where he'd literally just been standing, the technique slicing into the stone of the ground as it sped past, only to fizzle out of existence by the time it was to collide with one of the walls. Tracing it's path back to the one who'd used it, he saw Rean, a faint blue-white glow around his sheathe and blade, fading out only a moment afterward.

No remark came from Warrick's mouth, not allowed the time to speak it, as he had to block another shot from the only teen wielding an orbal-powered shotgun. The blonde with a saber came for him then, getting sidestepped and pushed to the ground in return. The Albarea offspring would have received worse, but the veteran jaeger had a bigger threat to combat, so simply put him off for the time and turned his focus to the dangerous spitfire called Sylphid. Intercepting her attack, he stopped both gunswords with his machete; not allowing her any time to follow up, he shot his right arm forward and struck her directly in the center of the throat. She stumbled backward as she began to choke, eyes wide from the pain and surprise of being decked in such a sensitive area.

Consecutive blows were planned but foiled, as Rean rushed in to defend her, crossing blades with the older man. "I'm not interested in reprising our stalemate, punk." Warrick informed the raven-haired boy, before kicking him dead off in his chest, causing him to grunt in pain, taking him off his feet and knocking him back into his childhood friend. Their bodies collided, they went down and they both ended up sprawled out on the ground.

Turning, the violent jaeger raised his machete and blocked another blast from the bespectacled teenager's shotgun. However, this time, he didn't stop at just one. With no one in close proximity to Warrick, Machias advanced upon him, firing repeatedly, unloading shell after shell, aiming to overwhelm him with the constant shooting. Every shot was blocked, no matter where it was aimed and no matter how fast the next one came, the dark green-haired bookworm failed to land any sort of shot. Not that it deterred him, continuing his advancement for several seconds, till coming to a stop suddenly, having closed most of the distance between him and the older man.

It became obvious why he'd stopped only a moment later, as Jusis came running, saber ready to strike. The purple-eyed killer blocked the last shot from the gun-toting nerd, and reached out with his free hand and took hold of the noble boy by his forearm, and went on to pull him forward, tripping him up and nearly causing him to faceplant. Stepping past the teen, Warrick then delivered a spin-kick to the center of his back, nearly taking him off his feet as his body was thrown forward into his rival. Said rival caught him and kept him from hitting the stone below, managing to stay on his feet as he did.

Helping the blonde to recover was rendered pointless by the very man who'd kicked him into his rival; Warrick had gotten behind the class VP in the time he'd caught his classmate, and proceeded kick him the same way, sending them both sprawling onto the ground. Downed, they were helpless, however, the arrogant man wouldn't get the chance to strike them down, as he was once more assaulted by the other three teens.

Dodging backward, the amoral mercenary avoided a coordinated attack from both the swordsman and swordswoman of the party. Rean had linked with Laura in the last few moments, allowing them to move more in sync as they took the fight to their opponent. Managing to maintain his link with both Fie and Laura at the same time, the humble noble essentially solved the problem of them being unable to link together. It was a quick and messy fix, honestly, but it would have to do for now.

...

"Ugh." Both Machias and Jusis groaned in pain as they rolled onto their sides.

"He's kicking our asses." Machias complained, checking to make sure his replacement glasses hadn't been broken as well. 'Thankfully, no.' He thought to himself.

"Try telling me something I don't know, Regnitz." Jusis retorted with mild annoyance.

"If we don't pull together, he's going to kill us. He'll kill all of us." The bespectacled academic stated anxiously, as he recovered his shotgun locate aside of him.

"I said something I don't know." The dignified fencer responded somewhat snarkily, reaching out and taking back his imperial saber from its spot across from him.

"We've managed to maintain our combat link, just barely. But we need to strengthen it to the level of everyone else's." The dark green-haired boy remarked. "Fie and Laura's combat link was severed, however, Rean's picking up the slack by linking with both of them, basically acting as a proxy. I'm not sure how long he'll be able to do that for." He opined. "So we've got to stabilize ours. We have to go out there and help them fight with everything we have. We have got to beat this guy while we can all still fight." He proclaimed. "If we don't...

"We will all die." The reserved noble finished for him, tone grim.

A sobering silence passed between the two rivals in that moment, as the gravity of the situation yet again registered in their minds.

"I refuse to be the reason we die here." Machias declared as he picked himself up off the ground, determination building.

"It seems we finally agree on something." Jusis agreed, as he too got up off the cold stone. "I shall not be the reason we perish." He similarly declared.

Back on their feet, the rivals locked eyes, cool-blue meeting forest-green. In that moment, they shared the same determination, the same resolve. They would aid the others, and defeat their enemy. "Let's do this." And in that instant, their combat link was solidified, strengthening to the point where it matched that of the links all their classmates were capable of establishing.

Turning from each other, the rivals focused in on Warrick, doing battle with their classmates some feet from them. Resolve and combat link strengthened, they rejoined the fray.

...

Warrick repelled the trio of Rean, Fie and Laura, managing to do so with minimal difficulty. They were, admittedly, troublesome together, so he tripped them up and did his best to attack them one at a time. The fact that they weren't all linked, the male of the three acting as a proxy, served as a boon in this endeavor. The resistance they showed together was impressive, but not so much that the veteran jaeger was actually pressed. His arrogance did him no favors, however, as while he had indeed expertly fended them off, he almost forgot about the other two combatants in this scuffle.

The cocky mercenary had plenty of reasons to be confident. Superior strength, superior speed, superior skill, this was simply fact. So it was hard to blame him for looking almost bored as he took notice that the blonde was rushing him again. He waited for him to get closer, where he would parry whatever attack he'd planned, and then counter and possibly kill him, depending on how far said teen planned to try and reach. At least, that's how he'd thought things would go, and he almost paid for that.

Jusis was running right for Warrick, only, as he drew within striking distance, the older man pulling his weapon back, the noble boy swerved to the right. It was then, eyes widening in surprise, that the overconfident man realized, it was a feint! The blast of a shotgun rang out the very moment the regal teen had pivoted and changed his path leaving the amoral jaeger half a second to reposition his machete to block the oncoming buckshot. He cut it close, but he did just that, deflecting the metal projectiles away from himself.

In the same moment the purple-eyed retrograde saved himself from having a hole punched in his stomach, Jusis had shot forward, thrusting his saber at the stationary man. Said man noticed at the last possible second, and backstepped out of harm's way, for the most part anyway. While he avoided the worst of it, the dignified teen had still managed to nick his enemy's side, creating a tiny tear in his jacket and the shirt underneath, only just breaking the skin on the side of his torso enough for a minuscule, insignificant drop of blood to eek out. So inconsequential it was, that even the man who'd sustained it took a moment to notice it was there.

The very instant he noticed that negligible split in his skin, was the one that Machias decided to make a charge of his own. Breaking into a run, the bespectacled gun wielder began to fire continuously, pulling the trigger as fast as he could manage while still handling the kickback the blasts of his weapon brought. It was far from any sort of automatic weapon, of course, but it did force the veteran jaeger to begin working to block every shot, lest he wind up with a nasty gunshot wound. And block every one he did, anticipating where each shot would go, even as his younger opponent would switch up his target.

Even as the bookworm drew dangerously close, he just persisted in firing as rapidly as he could, really trying to put the pressure on. While the long-haired mercenary had dealt with much more challenging situations than this, it still succeeded in efficiently distracting him. Too caught up in blocking each shot, one after the other, back to back, he failed to notice the second of the rivals until he was on him once more, forcing him to cut his hand as he used the free one to grab ahold of the saber and stop it in its path to his side. Tightening his grip, he locked his hold down, so that the noble born fencer couldn't hope to rip his weapon from the older man's grasp.

Class VII's Vice President, seeing the machete still at the ready to defend it's wielder from any further gunfire, opted for a change in tactics. Keeping his pace as he ran at the man, he reversed the positions of his hands, wound back and threw both arms forward with as much strength as he could muster, improvising and using his shotgun as a makeshift club and slamming the length of it into the machete head on. The obnoxiously loud clang of metal on metal rang out as the weapons met, Warrick holding strong and not letting the impact even budge his machete; the rivals locked eyes then, nodding at one and other.

Jusis, with his free hand, and Machias, taking one hand off his shotgun, both reached forward, behind Warrick, in perfect unison. Grabbing the veteran jaeger by the back of his jacket, both their fists filled with the material of the jacket, they tightened their grasps on the article of clothing and tugged at it with all their might. Doing this, in one great pull, the pair succeeded in yanking Warrick's jacket right off of him, arms slipping through the sleeves and everything, the article of clothing torn a tad as it was dragged against sharp objects.

This sudden molestation of Warrick's person disoriented him, if only momentarily. He failed to hold onto the blonde's blade, yet retained his grip on his own weapon, but aside from that, for a single solitary second, he was completely defenseless.

Rean tried to capitalize on that, closing the distance and going for a long slash across the violent man's torso. Unfortunately, said man recovered quicker than expected, and quickstepped backward, while also simultaneously spinning his body around for one full revolve. Pulling this maneuver, the arrogant retrograde saved himself from the worst of it, the blade only managing to inflict a shallow, almost superficial cut to his chest. "Ah, nice try punks. Not good enough, though." The oldest one present derided. "You'll have to do better than that if you wanna take me out." He boasted, not without reason either. "Don't appreciate the thing with the jacket though. I'll have to take it back, you know, after I cut you all into little pieces."

Stopping for just a moment, Rean took the time to look over at Jusis and Machias, the pair of rivals having already thrown the jacket to the ground and righted their weapons so that they could once more attack. Eyes drifting further, the affable swordsman looked back at Fie and Laura, the two girls now standing together, clearly eager to rejoin the fray. Shifting his gaze between these two duos, they took notice of him looking toward them and all nodded in his direction, letting him know without words that they would follow his lead if he took point. As such, Rean reached out and linked with both Machias and Jusis then, completing his multi-link, now connected to each of his classmates. And they were connected to each other, through him, even if it wasn't quite the same or efficient as a direct link.

With essentially the entire group linked up, Rean returned his focus to Warrick, the others doing the very same. "Hit him all together!" With that order given, they all charged.

...

The intensity of this battle had risen sharply, Warrick forced to block and dodge the trio of Rean, Fie and Laura once more as they rushed him with slashes from their weapons. He didn't give much thought as to why the other two hung back, focusing only on fending off the two swordsmen and the ex-jaeger, each of the three pounding his machete with their own armaments. Even with their combined strength, the amoral warrior was able to withstand their assault, even if only just. And anytime they truly threatened to overcome him, he'd simply force them to separate with well-placed counterattacks. Unfortunately for him, that worked to their advantage, as when he busted out one too many of them, they punished him for overreaching. Laura met his machete with her bastard sword, while Rean and Fie hit him twin spin-kicks to the chest, knocking him off balance.

Warrick stumbled back a few steps from the double blow to his chest, only to be forced to dodge a shotgun blast, courtesy of Machias, hopping a couple feet aside to avoid being hit. In doing this, having done it before he'd finished steadying himself from the feet smacking him in the chest, he was unprepared for what came next. "Rune Blade!" Jusis, his saber cocked back just past his left shoulder, the blade surrounded by an aura of blue-tinted white energy, slashed forward in a full ninety-degree arc. "Shit!" The arrogant jaeger only just managed to defend himself against the incoming slash, having noticed the threat at the last possible second and moved his machete to intercept.

As the blades met, the energy around Jusis' saber seemed almost to rip into the metal of the machete it clashed with, an ear-piercing metalic-scraping sound produced as an aftereffect. Yet, the older man seemed unconcerned by this development, for good reason, as he was far more concerned with keeping the blade and the energy around it from tearing into him, to worry about what it was doing to his weapon of choice.

"Needle Shoot!" The violent mercenary acted that very second, jumping several feet to his right to dodge the incoming man-made magic produced by Machias, having taken the form of a head-sized clump of stone.

Alas, it turned out Warrick was a hapless bastard. How so? Well, the same spot he touched down, he found another of Sylphid's flashbangs at his feet, waiting for him. "Fuck!" Eyes going wide, the purple-haired man leapt back a great distance, gaining considerable air as he did, closing his eyes tight in hopes of blocking out the overly bright light that was to come. Only...it never came. 'What?' He thought with confusion. Then it hit him. 'It's a goddamn dummy grenade!'

By the time he realized this and opened his eyes, there was Laura, just a few feet above him, having apparently followed him up. "Armor Breaker!" The sword-maiden, her great bastard sword raised above her head, slashed downward with all her might. Coming down at him with her own strength amplified by the force of gravity, throwing both arms up and using his machete's flat side as a makeshift shield powered by his own strength was all Warrick could do to hope to block her attack. As their weapons collided, a loud metal on metal clang reverberated through the immediate area, accompanied by the sound of steel cracking.

The mercenary man immediately knew who's weapon it came from, and having no desire to be down a machete, kicked out at the seventeen year old girl, nailing her in the center of her abdomen with the sole of his boot, causing her to gasp in pain. With the noble maiden kicked back away from him and falling toward the ground, the purple-eyed jaeger assumed he'd have a moment of respite from the constant attacks, sure that getting him in the air had been their big plan all along. In no uncertain terms, he was wrong.

"Target Locked." Fie, just below him, had taken a side-standing stance and had him in her sights, fingers holding down the triggers of her gunswords, charging her shots. And then, she opened fire.

Several charged shots came whizzing at Warrick then, forcing him to deflect them away from himself, mid-air, sending them left, right and upward into the ceiling. 'Can't afford to block the shots. If I did, they'd doubtlessly do further damage to my cracked machete.' So, he opted not to block and continued to deflect.

Even as the veteran jaeger's feet touched the ground once more, he could do nothing but continue deflecting his younger counterpart's charged shots. If he didn't, he'd take the risk of receiving a serious injury or damaging his weapon beyond repair. And as he did, he couldn't help but think to himself, 'No matter what they hit me with or what attempts of theirs I thwart, they just keep coming. They're completely unfazed by success or failure. What the hell are they up to!?' The almost inaudible sound of a sword being sheathed behind him pulled him from his thoughts at the same time Fie ceased firing, however, he was given no time to react.

"Autumn Leaf Cutter!" Before Warrick knew what had hit him, Rean had dashed on past him at top speed, simultaneously unsheathing his blade and slashing the older man across his back, creating a large tear in his shirt and inflicting a deep gash in the center of the skin. "Motherfucker!" The thirty-something retrograde cursed, pain flaring through his back, arching it forward as if that would somehow lessen the trauma.

Momentarily stunned, he was incapable of defending himself, as Jusis, who was far too close to him to be there by mere coincidence, pivoted forward into his personal space and proceeded to rapid thrust his saber forward in a jabbing motion three times in expeditious succession. Each time, the tip of the sword pierced the older man's flesh, even if it was rather shallow penetration, it was still enough to bring blood. After that, the blonde followed up with a ninety-degree angle slash, the length of his saber cutting across his opponent's abdomen, splitting open a tear in his shirt and his flesh both.

It was then, as his pain grew, that Warrick figured it out. 'Those clever bastards! This was planned, all of this! Every time I was hit, each time I defended, they anticipated all of it!' The conclusion the veteran jaeger had reached? Class VII Group A was launching a well coordinated all-out offensive, using only their combat links to communicate what to do and where to go and when to do them. 'Combat linking is a hell of a thing! When C told me about it, I didn't think it was such a big deal. But now, I gotta get me one of those ARCUS units!' He decided in that moment.

Knowing what the five were up to now, and despite lacking the finer details, Warrick was ready for what they were going to throw at him next, he was sure of that.

As Jusis jumped back to safety, Machias stepped forward, and took precise aim, wielding his orbal-shotgun with one hand. Fully extending his arm for maximum range, he released the trigger, having been holding it down for a number of moments. "Break Shot!" A charged buckshot blasted from the barrel of the gun, and came barreling toward Warrick. Acting quickly, he used his machete to shield himself from the power-shell, the powerful projectile colliding with the butcher's weapon, creating an awful, ear-bleeding metallic grating sound as they met and the smaller of the two was deflected off into the distance.

While the supercharged buckshot hadn't fulfilled it's purpose of wounding Warrick, it had done visible damage to his machete. A noticeable dent had been imposed into the blade of the weapon, which had also worsened the crack in the steel to such a degree that it could be perceived rather easily. It was worrisome, to be sure. Although, more worrisome was what the violent mercenary caught sight of in his peripheral vision.

Off to his side, roughly a dozen feet or so away, stood Laura, her bastard sword raised overhead, blue colored energy covering her large blade. "Earth Cleaver!" She cried, as she brought her weapon down and slammed it into the ground, slicing into the stone and creating a small shockwave from the energy. This shockwave surged forward from her blade, ripping and tearing into the ground as it raced forward.

Directly in its path stood the amoral jaeger, and knowing better than to try and block that, especially with the less than stellar shape of his weapon, he got the hell out of dodge. Nearly throwing himself to the ground as he jumped away from the oncoming attack, he watched as the shockwave sped past him for a number of feet, before dissipating into nothingness, leaving only the damage it had done to the ground to show it had even existed in the first place.

Given no respite, he had to hastily bend his body backward to evade the oncoming gunswords, the twin weapons whizzing past over his face, one of them nearly catching on his nose. They were Fie's, obviously, and she'd chucked the damn things at him. 'What is that girl thinking!? Throwing both her weapons, not exactly the smartest move in the book.' He thought to himself. As he returned to his upright position though, he knew exactly what she was thinking. "Oh. Shit."

Fie had broken into a dead sprint the moment she'd released her hold on her precious twin gunswords, moving with incredible speed. She was so fast, that by the time Warrick took notice of her, he was barely capable of uttering even two words before she hit him. And did she ever hit him; the silver-haired maiden threw herself forward into her older counterpart, hitting him full force with her entire body, shoulder first, performing a shoulder block takedown and tackling him down, hard, to the ground.

Warrick hissed in pain as his back smacked the stone, aggravating the wound he'd received at the hands of the Schwarzer heir. It would only get worse, as Fie lifted herself up off the ground, just enough to get proper leverage to drive her left knee deep into the older man's stomach as hard as she possibly could, the force of the blow causing him to hack up a bit of blood. Not stopping there, she sat up on his stomach and delivered a right cross to his mug, ramming her knuckles into his face, dazing him for a second. Following up, she dropped her left elbow down into the center of his chest, causing him to simultaneously gasp and cough, while also getting him to refocus.

Before the stoic fifteen year old could go for four, the killer for hire pulled his leg back and shot it forward, slamming his boot into the younger girl's chest, kicking her with his full strength. It showed, as she was knocked clear off of him, flung backward a number of feet before she touched down on the stone, where she rolled a tad before finally coming to a stop.

"Flames, gather on my blade!"

As Warrick kicked back and rolled backward and caught himself up onto his feet, recovering from his downed position rather quickly, his purple orbs sought out the source of that exclamation. He found it quickly enough, as he caught sight of the raven-haired punk, his sword literally aflame! The solo-jaeger's eyes widened considerably as the teen, brandishing a flaming sword, charged him directly.

Still sore from the three hit combo the youngest of them had delivered, as well as the aggravated gash on his back, not to mention the wounds on his front, the last thing he needed was to be accosted by fire. The lingering aftereffects of the flash grenade going off in such close proximity to him didn't help things either. Add on to that how he was being strung along so easily by a bunch of brats half his age, moving exactly according to their plan somehow, and...well, his very real anger from before came rushing back as he recognized these facts.

"Strike!" Rean cried, surging forward with one mighty swing of his flaming blade, aiming to debilitate and perhaps even defeat his enemy.

However, Warrick refused to dance to their tune any longer. 'If they thought I'd allow them to hit me with this desperate attempt at a finishing move, that I wouldn't be capable of stopping their little plan's big finish, that I was stupid and weak enough to be defeated by a bunch of kiddies, they thought wrong!'

Daringly, the long-haired retrograde met the ignited blade head-on with his machete, the steel clashing so intensely a few sparks were even created. One-handed, wielding his damaged machete, the veteran jaeger halted Rean's ultimate attack completely, returning the two to the stalemate they'd shared not half an hour prior. Although, there were still consequences to this action, as the flames licked at the machete and the hand holding it, further weakening the integrity of the damaged metal and inflicting some small first degree burns to the flesh.

"ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT!" Warrick bellowed furiously, parrying Rean's blade, bucking it back, before knocking it right out of his hands with one particularly mighty swing. The flames covering the blade of the sword dissipated as it skittered against the ground.

Rean appeared flabbergasted at this development, eyes wide and bewildered. These emotions morphed into agony quickly thereafter, as Warrick swung back down and ripped into the young swordsman's jacket, undershirt and chest with his machete, incising his abdomen with a nasty laceration. Gasping in pain, the affable seventeen year old fell to his knees, while his enemy stood over him, preparing to deliver the killing blow.

Warrick had to abandon such actions for the moment, as Jusis and Machias came at him in that instant, forcing him to once more engage them. Disarming them as he'd done their classmate, he knocked them to the ground, before returning his attention to their friend. Only, as he did, he noticed a certain young girl in his path, roughly ten feet from his position, slightly to the right of center. She was crouched low to the ground, her arms and weapons both crossed, causing them to resemble an X in appearance. Hands grasping her twin gunswords tightly, she kicked off the ground and surged forward at incredible speed.

"Scud Ripper!"

She was going to stop him from killing her childhood friend, she'd intended to slice him up with her gunswords, but, that's not how it went. The moment she was within striking distance, already moving her arms to double-slash her older counterpart, he rammed his free hand into her stomach, burying his fist into her gut with a heavy punch, stopping her dead in her tracks. Her lithe body gave way to the strength of the blow, back arching as she hunched over, the wind having been completely knocked out of her as she spat up a mouthful of blood.

Pain surging through her midsection, Fie wasn't able to defend herself as Warrick pulled his arm back, cocking it to the side, before swinging it back at her, ramming his elbow into the side of her head and knocking her to the ground, her form rolling several feet away from the strength behind the hit she took.

Back to the swordsman he'd planned to cut down, he saw the diffident teen was back on his feet. Not for long, as he was forced back to his knees, as Warrick drove his right knee up into the focal point of the boy's midsection, his solar plexus, expelling all the air from his lungs and causing pain to flare through him. Doubling over onto all fours as a result of the physical trauma, blood escaped the teenager's mouth in small strings mixed with saliva, as he started to retch. Lifting his machete high, Warrick readied himself to behead the kneeling young swordsman.

Machias and Jusis, both close enough to notice the mortal peril their mutual friend was in, came to a snap decision in that instant. Acting rashly, the rivals, no weapons on their person to speak off, having not yet retrieved their armaments, came to Rean's aid. Warrick was caught completely off guard as they, completely unarmed, rushed him together, shoulder charging him in perfect unison. "AAAAHHH!" They both let out cries of effort, as they team-tackled him with the full force of their bodies, knocking him off his feet and taking him down to the ground with them.

The three, splayed out on the stone floor, all groaned in pain, that trip down none too pleasant for any one of them. While down there, the dark green-haired bookworm took notice of the fact that their opponent had, if only for the moment, released his hold on his weapon. Thinking fast and acting faster, the brainy teen snatched the machete.

"Move!" A feminine voice yelled.

The bespectacled academic and the dignified Albarea spawn recognized that as Laura's voice, and, not taking any chances, cut the time of getting off the ground out of the equation, and simply rolled out of the way, putting distance between themselves and their enemy. Plus, with what the former of the two had taken, they'd left the oldest combatant without one of his weapons.

"Son of a motherfucking whore!" Warrick cursed, as he picked himself up off the ground and climbed back to his feet. A little unsteady, he almost stumbled, and took a moment to steady himself. Turning around, that is when he came face to face with the true endgame of Group A's plan, the real finish. Every attack, every evasion, every technique blocked, every single step they led him along to take had been leading to this. This was their real finishing blow, their coup de grace.

There Laura stood, her sword exuding a bright white energy with a blue tint, that formed a secondary sword of energy around the blade, that extended just a few inches longer than the actual blade itself. "Behold, my most powerful strike..." Pulling her sword away from herself, she pulled it back behind her, one-handed, before lunging forward a distance, rapidly closing the gap between herself and her opponent.

Warrick had no time to defend himself, no time to dodge, no time to even react, he was a complete sitting duck.

"Radiant Blade Dance!" Taking hold of her sword's grip with both hands, Laura raised it over her right shoulder before bringing it down for a diagonal slash once she was upon him, slicing her target from his right shoulder down to his left hip, a white slash mark visible in the air where it had occurred. Pulling back exactly ninety degrees to the left, she swung it back at him in a hundred and eighty degree, a perfect arc, slash, a white slash mark accompanying it. Using the momentum from that, she spun herself around a full three hundred sixty degrees, bringing her blade round for a heavy swing slash, a third and final thick white slash mark brought about by the attack.

With those three strokes of her blade, Laura had carved several deep, massive gashes into Warrick's torso, blood bursting from each of them, painting the stone below crimson, along with his white undershirt, soaking it completely in the ruby liquid. Mouth agape, bloodshot eyes wide open as can be, the agony coursing through him so great that his voice got stuck in his throat, he could only stumble backward at the gargantuan damage that he'd just received.

...

After several steps back, he managed to catch himself, forcing himself steady and upright. Reaching back, he drew his other machete, blood having begun to leak from both corners of his mouth at that point. A deep scowl etched itself into his face as his muscles tightened, and he took a step forward.

Laura was panting, the energy around her blade fading out of existence. She could still fight, certainly. But she didn't exactly have a whole lot left in the tank. Which was why, as Warrick came at her with a powerful swing, she tried valiantly to defend herself with her blade, to block the attack, only to have her weapon knocked right out of her hands. She watched it as it clattered against the ground and slid out of her reach, before returning her gaze to her enemy, just in time to see him bring his weapon down across her abdomen, slicing into her flesh. It was her turn to stumble, gasping in pain as she put pressure on her new wound, staining her hands along with her shirt with blood. Following up, the veteran jaeger unceremoniously kicked her directly in the face, boot sole to nose, the blow sending her crashing to the floor and skidding across the stone.

Taking a moment to look around at the recovering students, Warrick scoffed. "That all you punks got!? Well!? You just gonna bitch out on me?! Who am I kidding, of course you are! Damn, and here I was hoping for an actual challenge!" He taunted them nastily. "Actually, you know what, all of you get on your damn feet! We're not done here, not yet! I want a real fight! You hear me! GET ON YOUR GODDAMN FEET, OR ELSE I'LL KILL YOU WHERE YOU LIE!" He threatened them, his rage flaring back to life.

Group A of Class VII was collectively devastated. They had thrown just about everything they had at Warrick, and he was still standing! It was demoralizing, so much so that a sense of hopelessness began to set in. And yet, still they got to their feet. Fie, Machias and Jusis had been conserving their strength as best they could, so didn't have much trouble complying, in spite of the bruises and abrasions all over them. Rean and Laura on the other hand, had some difficulties. It was painful, but Rean did it easily enough despite his still bleeding laceration. Laura had a harder time of it than everyone else, her wound the deepest of the five's, but persevered regardless.

A predatory grin covered Warrick's face then, a gleam of dangerous excitement in his eyes.

Only, his fun was spoiled as a squad of provincial soldiers spilled into the area.

"Nobody move!" The Provincial Officer commanded, as the five soldiers surrounded the group of teenagers who'd been recovering their weapons and regrouping.

Taking notice of the dead Kazakh Doven, the provincial commanding officer had to stifle his shock, which was made especially hard considering the gory way they'd been taken out.

Warrick let out a heavy, agitated sigh at this point.

"What the hell are you-"

"You've pushed your luck one step too far this time!" The Officer exclaimed, cutting the students off, hiding his surprise and disgust with anger. What wasn't clear, was exactly who he was addressing, as he eyed both the jaeger and the teens. "Throw Regnitz in a cell, escort Lord Jusis to the Albarea Manor and show the rest of them to their hotel!" The man went on to order, clearly trying to move things along as quickly as possible.

"I will not allow one of my classmates to be taken into custody on false charges, doubly so considering you've yet to even speak as to what they are!" Jusis interrupted the man.

"But Lord Jusis, it was your father, his Grace Duke Albarea, that-" One of the soldiers attempted to explain, only to be cut off.

"There's no need. I've no doubt my father came up with whatever ludicrous accusation you're using as grounds to arrest Regnitz. What I'm telling you is, I don't care." The dignified noble disclosed. "If you hadn't noticed, the five of us have been down here dealing with the mess you and your men should have been cleaning up. In other words, we've been doing your jobs for you." He bluntly informed them. "While you flittered about on some ill-conceived hunt for the son of the imperial governor, and I've no doubt that's exactly why you're so keen on locking him up; this man and his escaped cohort have been tearing across the city as they chased down some random small girl." The blonde apprised them of the man's doings. "So why don't you pull your collective heads out my father's ass for just a moment and, ARREST THAT MAN!" The usually aloof teenager, who'd just read these grown men the riot act with impeccable composure, found himself shouting at the top of his lungs in this instance, his emotions flaring. It was all happening so fast, everyone was hurt, it was all too much, then on top of it all was this farce. He simply couldn't take it.

...

The soldiers and officer alike were visibly taken aback by their young lord's outburst. They found themselves speechless, unable to form a response to his emotional, imploring demand.

This silence only lasted another moment, before a sickening squelching sound filled everyone's ears, and the blade of a machete burst forth from the Provincial Officer's chest, splattering the ground with even more blood, getting everyone's attention on said man, who's eyes had gone wide in shock and fear. Blood stained the front of his uniform and poured from his mouth, as he tried to say something but found his voice was caught in his throat. The blade of the weapon was roughly pulled back out of his chest, before he fell to his knees and then collapsed face first onto the ground, where he began to bleed out.

"Who the FUCK do you think you are, interrupting MY FIGHT?!" Warrick vociferated, livid, bloodshot eyes wide and nostrils flaring, he looked like a madman once more.

So stunned at the sight of their commanding officer being murdered in front of them, the provincial soldiers could do nothing but gape at his dying form, along with his killer. In no uncertain terms, they froze up, shellshocked to such a degree that they couldn't even function enough to move.

Warrick set his sights on the rest of the provincial men then, his intentions clear as he tightened his grip on his freshly crimson painted machete.

"Run, NOW!" Jusis hollered at the infantry of his household, commanding them to flee, as he moved to intercept the murdering retrograde.

Few listened, as fear overtook them and their fight or flight instincts kicked in, and they multilaterally chose fight. Two turned right around and booked it, while the other three raised their rifles, hands shaking with fright and anxiousness at the sheer presence this man exuded. Still, they took aim as best they could and fired.

The veteran jaeger easily deflected their bullets, before pivoting forward and with a single wide slash, proceeded to destroy their provincial weaponry by slicing the rifles in half. And all the soldiers could do was gawk at him in shock and disbelief, catatonic as it were, in the face of his power. Which worked to the psychopathic mercenary's favor, as he reared back in preparation for another swing of his weapon, this one decidedly more lethal than the last. Overcome with horror, the three basically collapsed to the ground on their asses.

"Jusis!" Rean, Laura and Machias cried in unison, the three of them and Fie rushing to the blonde's aid, as he threw himself in the harm's way to defend the soldiers of his family's province.

Jusis had made it just in time, using his saber to defend the defenseless soldiers. He was forced to dig his feet in, gritting his teeth as he used all his might to keep the machete from breaking through and dicing up himself and the three men behind him. Warrick sneered at the teen's efforts, forcing him further back with his strength, nearly causing the young fencer to topple over. "You tried, but you're not quite strong enough to stop me, kiddie." And with that snide jeer, he used his free hand and decked the young teenager in the face, disorienting him long enough for the violent man to snatch his weapon away from him, tearing it right from his grasp.

Furthermore, he cut him open with a well-placed stroke of his machete, inflicting a nasty laceration diagonally across the noble boy's torso, getting said boy to vocalize his pain with a scream. That scream seemed to do the trick in snapping them out of it, as the soldiers got off their asses and scrambled away, just as they'd originally been told to.

Jusis' scream was cut short though, as the long-haired jaeger concussed him by slamming the hilt of his own imperial saber into the side of his skull, knocking him to the ground and shutting him up. That wasn't enough for him, as he raised his machete for the killing blow, only to be interrupted once more.

"Raaagh!" Laura cried out in exertion, as she attempted to impale her opponent from behind.

Her attempt utterly failed, as Warrick kicked off the ground and backflipped over his attacker, landing barely two feet behind her. She couldn't hope to block what came next, as before she was even able to turn around, the veteran jaeger buried the blade of Jusis' saber into her left shoulder, pulling a scream from her as well. A swift kick to the back, and the mighty girl toppled over onto the ground, hitting the stone face first, as the ruby liquid escaped from her body and stained her clothes further.

"Laura!"

Turning around, the veteran jaeger had to fend off the duo of Rean and Fie yet again, sending them both skidding away with a well placed punch and well placed kick. Then there was Machias, who was foolish enough to rush the man with his own machete, swinging the damaged weapon at him, only to be evaded easily. The bespectacled genius had counted on that, of course, and used his other hand to pull the trigger on his shotgun and fire on him. Despite the uncomfortably close proximity, the older man managed to just narrowly avoid the blast of buckshot, and then punished his opponent for his failed tactic.

He did so with a wide slash across his back, earning another scream of intense pain from one of his enemies. Two well placed kidney punches were his next move, causing the young academic to arch his back in further pain, before simply crumpling to the ground.

"Machias!"

Anticipating the attack, Warrick whirled around to face the childhood friends, before knocking the female of the two back a number of feet, allowing him to engage the male alone. He did this quick and dirty, suckerpunching the diffident swordsman in the neck, before disarming him with a kick to the arm and forcibly snatching the sword away with his free hand. Tossing it aside, the blade clattering across the ground as it slid, he followed up with a roundhouse kick, nearly knocking the Schwarzer heir's lights out, and getting him on the floor once again.

Battle almost over, Warrick felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment start to overcome him. "You little bastards are so sluggish! What happened to all the piss and vinegar from earlier!? Where did all that damned spunk go?! HUH!?" He demanded to know, as he strolled back over to the half-conscious bookworm and bent down to retrieve his other machete, even if it was in quite the disrepair.

Before he could grab it, however, Fie was in his face, gunblades aimed directly at him, as she pulled the triggers and fired. Leaping out of the way, he only just avoided having lead planted in his face. Landing several feet away, his younger counterpart didn't give him the chance to decide what his next move would be, as she was upon him once more. Blocking one slash after another, he was on the cusp of being put on the defensive once more. Refusing to allow that, he struck back, counterattacking and forcing her to guard against him. Exactly how he wanted it, her gunblades were crossed as she used them to defend herself from his attacks. Using that to his advantage, he applied pressure with a vertical slash, machete meeting the center of her crossed blades. Pushing down on her weapons, he moved to knock her off balance, using his free hand to push up at her armaments, causing the blades to slice into his flesh.

It took the ex-jaeger off guard, allowing her older counterpart to deliver a swift kick to her midsection before she could react. The blow loosened her grip momentarily, allowing the older man to snatch one of the gunblades and hurl it in the opposite direction. As for the other, he grabbed the arm that wielded it, forcing it to remain fully extended, and used his other arm to drive his elbow down into the limb. The blow forced the small arm to fold up in spite of it's restraint, magnifying the damage, as the pain such a thing inflicted caused her grip to release entirely, her second weapon of choice meeting the stone of the floor with a clatter.

Hissing at the unpleasant sensation, Fie pulled back away from the arrogant mercenary. Adaptability was one of her greatest traits, and as such, she didn't waste more than a moment before going back on the attack. With a quick sidestep, she moved out of his reach and then pivoted toward him, intending to take him barehanded. Unfortunately, the psychopathic retrograde had anticipated this, and was there to meet her, snatching her by the front of her shirt and jacket with his free hand.

Now having ahold of her, he attempted to lift her off her feet and into the air, but, she wouldn't have it. She hit him in the wrist, with the open palm of her right hand, deflecting his hand by forcefully pushing it away. As she did this, she simultaneously swerved around him, out of his field of vision, which would leave him vulnerable. Knowing this, using the same hand she'd manipulated, he formed a white-knuckled fist and sent it in the direction she'd gone, trying to backhand her with his closed fist.

The nimble girl used this to her own ends though, as she grabbed hold of his arm as he swung it back at her and jumped up, using his limb as leverage, she proceeded to deftly climb up his arm and onto his shoulders, plopping down onto them in a sitting position. Once up there, she wasted no time in making use of her advantageous position and assaulting the older man's head.

He didn't get even half a second to try and get her off of him, as Rean bum-rushed him, trying to perform the same shoulderblock takedown his childhood friend had used, driving his entire body, shoulder first, into the veteran jaeger's solar plexus. The built up force, even with the thirty-something man grabbing the seventeen year old with his free arm and trying to stop his forward momentum, was enough to get the warrior to wince and skid back a few feet, having to dig his feet in to stay upright.

The Schwarzer heir was the least of Warrick's concerns at the moment though, as Fie as currently going wild atop his shoulders, assaulting him nonstop. Ramming her knuckles into the side of his skull, jamming her elbow down into the top of his head, she rained down punishment on him. Growling with aggravation, Warrick reached up to put a stop to his assailant, neglecting to pay attention to the one in front of him.

Rean, struggling to take his enemy off his feet, found he could do nothing more, not like this. Teeth grit as frustration built, his mind raced as he tried to come up with something. That was when he spotted it, one of his childhood friend's gunblades, just out of reach. Knowing exactly what he had to do, he abandoned his effort to floor his opponent, and retrieved the weapon. No hesitation, he proceeded to plunge it deep into Warrick's right side, hilting the blade in his flesh, blood pouring from the new wound. Snarling in anger and pain, Warrick pulled the gunblade from his side and tossed it, before grabbing the one who'd stabbed him and doing much the same, chucking him a number of feet away, where he'd hit the ground and roll.

With her best friend out of the way, and with the opening he'd given her, Fie halted her attack and spun her position around, to where she was sitting on the front of the man's shoulders. Locking her ankles together, she pressed her legs together, trapping the man's head between her knees and locking it in a leglock. Throwing her body backward, down toward the ground, she used the momentum this motion created to bring Warrick along with her, flipping the grown man over herself and slamming him down, back first, hard into the cold, unforgiving stone ground, performing a flawless headscissors takedown. Rolling as she hit the ground, the agile girl prevented herself from taking any real damage as she moved smoothly across the stone.

Warrick was stunned and grounded, groaning as pain wracked his body. He wouldn't be getting right back up, not this time. It would take him a few minutes to recover, that much was evident.

Even in his condition though, the amoral warrior continued to talk shit. "That it!? Done already!? You premature motherfuckers!" He yelled from where he lie. "I've had drunken, and I mean messy, vomiting blackout drunk, fucks that lasted longer than that! Hell, I bet it was one of your mothers!" He taunted them disdainfully. "You know, for those of you who have mothers anyway. There are orphans in the crowd, just sayin'." He further ridiculed.

Silence...he received no reply. "Such brats! You can't even endure a little brawl! Most of you wouldn't even survive one damn day in my line of work! You're all goddamn pathetic!" He mocked them venomously, as he snarled with rage.

Rean and Fie, the only two of Group A to have recovered enough to stand under their own power once more, locked eyes across the way. Neither had to speak, as their facial expressions said it all. They shared looks of contempt, they'd had enough of Warrick and his bullshit, they were fed up and straight sick of every damn word out of his mouth. They could both see that in the other. As such, their eyes drifted, one pair seeking out the lost tachi, the other pair seeking out the damaged machete one of their classmates had stolen from their mutual enemy.

The childhood friends moved together then, even if it was in opposing directions. The humble swordsman went right to retrieve his sword, while the stoic maiden went to the left to claim her counterpart's machete. The male of the duo took up his blade from the ground, while the female stopped over their bookworm classmate, who upon noticing her, held the weapon up for her to take, which she did readily.

"I'm not done yet! You can't kill me so easily! I'll show you sons a bitches that the Silver Haze ain't nothin' to fuck with!" Warrick boasted, now on all fours, climbing to his feet slowly. He nearly faceplanted a few times in his efforts, a slip of the hand because of his blood or what have you, but he struggled on.

Weapons in hand, the duo stood side by side, as they prepared to end it. Rean brandished his tachi in his right hand, while Fie wielded the machete with her left. Staring dead ahead, they watched as their opponent struggled to get on his feet, watching and waiting for just the right moment.

It wasn't easy, but Warrick managed to return to an upright position. Once back on his feet, he faltered, stumbling back and swaying side to side a tad, he was clearly still feeling the effects of his wounds and more than likely, blood loss.

That was it! Rean and Fie tightened their grips on their weapons till their knuckles turned white, as the opportunity to attack presented itself. Their free hands, her right and his left, brushed together ever so slightly, and a vibrant blue light, with a white tint, began to emanate from their chests, as well as the ARCUS units they possessed. However, they failed to notice such things, as they hyperfocused in on their adversary.

No words need be spoken in that moment, as they both communicated through their combat link. 'GO!'

Breaking into dead sprints, Rean and Fie rushed the faltering man, dashing at him with great speed. Reaching him the moment he steadied himself, they began their all out attack, forcing him on the defensive as they gave him all they had, letting loose with ruthless aggression.

Block, dodge, evade, block, block, block, evade, dodge, dodge, evade, block, block, block, block, block, block, so much blocking...

It took everything Warrick had for him to even defend himself against them, as they unleashed an onslaught of slashes, swings and strokes of the weapons they wielded. If it had only been sheer ferocity that they came at him with, he more than likely could have fought them off and regained control of the battle. But it wasn't that simple, no, the duo moved in perfect sync, moving like flowing and ebbing water, their reaction times were improved by such a large margin, it was as if they could react to what one and other saw separately from each other. Covering any openings the other left and pressing the target the moment their partner gained the advantage, they worked in complete harmony. It was this unity that made them so dangerous. The strength, speed, skill and ferocity of their assault were certainly a factor, but their teamwork, more than anything else, tipped the scales in their favor.

This was how the Schwarzer heir and the war orphan overwhelmed the veteran jaeger, to the point where he couldn't keep up with them and was completely outmatched. As such, an opening presented itself, and the duo took it.

Fie slipped behind her older counterpart, as he was occupied with guarding against Rean's relentless slashes. Striking him from behind, she incised his back with a series of cuts with his own machete, adding several new wounds to the one her childhood friend had inflicted upon him. He didn't get half a curse out his mouth, before the former jaeger kicked him forward into her partner, where, both hands gripping the hilt, Rean brought his blade down across the mercenary's midsection, carving another deep gash into his torso, one to rival even the lacerations dealt by Laura's bastard sword.

Warrick faltered then, mouth open in a silent scream. All the damage he'd endured, all the wounds he'd accumulated, like one too many straws on a camel's back, it broke him, and he collapsed onto his knees, his hold on his machete giving as well, the dangerous armament clattering against the ground.

The duo, the light that had been emanating from them fading away at this point, put him in checkmate, as they placed their weapons on either side of his neck. Tachi on his right, his own damaged machete on his left.

"Give up." Rean commanded him, adrenaline running through his veins and the high of battle allowing him to take on such a confident persona in the heat of the moment.

"You've lost. It's over." Fie bluntly apprised him of the truth of the situation.

"Heh. Heh heh." Warrick chuckled. "Hahahahaha!" He outright laughed at them. "Over? You think this is over?" He asked them. "This ain't over. IT'S JUST GETTIN' STARTED!" He exclaimed, grabbing hold of both their hands by the wrist, their eyes widening in surprise.

Forcing himself back to his feet, Warrick used his superior strength to lift both teens off the ground and toss them, sending them flying, but not before taking his property back, snatching it right out of Fie's hand. Bending down, he picked up his other, undamaged machete while he was at it. For the first time in this fight, he was dual wielding.

Looking toward the students, he saw them all recovering, getting up off the cold, hard stone. Rean and Fie were the first ones, even with the latter having to recover her gunblades. The other three, Machias, Jusis and Laura, followed suit, rising off the ground and back onto their feet. Laura had the hardest time of it, having to remove her classmate's saber from the flesh of her shoulder, before returning it to him. They were showing themselves to be quite resilient. That said, they were clearly in no shape for any sort of drawn out battle. 'Most of them only have enough gas in the tank for one last offensive, but that's it. After that, they're done.' The amoral retrograde noted mentally.

Warrick grinned devilishly at them then. "You really beat my ass punks, I won't lie." He confessed, devilish grin unchanging. "You came at me with everything you had, and I can admit it now, you did a damn fine job busting me up." He acknowledged this fact. "But, here's the funny thing, you might think you've beaten me, however, you couldn't be any more wrong." He informed them. "You see, I still haven't shown you why they call me the Silver Haze. I didn't think I'd need to." He disclosed. "You're all just a bunch of brats, I told myself. I had assumed I wouldn't need to fight the way I used to, back in the corp. I haven't had to go all out since the Silver Serpent's last battle with Zephyr. But now, clearly I do." He admitted. "You are some really fuckin' tough punks, ya know that?" It was more a statement than a question, but it was phrased that way. "Regardless, playtime is over, kiddies."

Dropping his arms to his sides, his machetes met the ground, the tips of the blades perpendicular to the stone.

"No." Fie's eyes widened considerably, as she realized exactly what he was going to do. Turning to the others, she tried to warn them. "Run! We have to run!" She yelled, her voice panic stricken.

Fie, the little badass that was always cool under pressure, panicking? That was cause for concern, the other four looking toward her, most of them shocked at her sudden surge of emotion. Only Rean wasn't caught off guard by it, that said, it did perturb him, as she hadn't sounded like that since they were kids. What could she possibly be afraid of, they all frantically wondered.

They soon found out.

"Too late." Warrick said, as he kicked against the ground, launching himself into a forward motion, dragging his machetes along the ground as he did, where he proceeded to disappear from sight altogether.

"What the?!" Machias vocalized his bewilderment.

"Where'd he go!?" Jusis blurted out the same burning question most of them were dying to have the answer to.

"How did he...!?" Laura trailed off, an inkling of what he was doing present in her mind.

"Oh no." Rean had a theory as to what was happening then, what the man was doing, and while he hoped he was wrong, he already knew he wasn't.

A seemingly invisible force passed by the teenagers, so fast that the wind produced disturbed their hair and clothing. This certainly got their attention, so they tried to track whatever it was, to no avail. That is, until...

Warrick reappeared for a moment then, a great distance now between him and his prey. He was across the way, as far away as he could be while still remaining in the same general area as the five students.

"Time to feel the power of the Haze." Warrick remarked, his arms a tad behind him, his machetes low to the ground, touching the stone. Then, he kicked off the ground once more, catapulting himself forward, his weapons dragging against the ground, and proceeded to vanish again.

Only, those of Group A not in the know, realized what the other two knew, he didn't vanish, he had simply begun moving at speeds beyond comprehension of the human eye.

"Silver Haze!" Warrick moved at inhuman speeds, blitzing around so fast that the only thing of him that could still be seen was the blurry image of his silver-colored machetes, as he dragged them behind him against the ground, at such a pace that they produced a trail of sparks. The sparks and the silver blur produced by this, made up the infamous Silver Haze he was know for.

"RUN!" Fie repeated herself, finally getting the others to react and make a break for it.

It was far too later, however.

Machias was the first, hit by the unseen man, a new nasty laceration etched into his skin, as he stumbled back like he'd been struck by something heavy. It happened so suddenly, the bespectacled academic didn't even know what'd happened. He regained his footing, as he tried to ascertain where he'd been attacked from, still a tad dazed. Only to suffer another one, blood bursting from his shoulder as it was torn into, then another as his back was sliced up, the lenses of his glasses shattering upon impact, it akin to as if his body'd been hit by a ton of bricks. Knocked straight to the ground, wounded shoulder first, screaming in pain, the class VP struggled to even retain consciousness.

"MACHIAS!" His four classmates called his name frantically, concern and fear filling their tones, as his combat link broke off from both Jusis and Rean.

Jusis was the second, saber escaping his grasp and falling below as he was hit, a fresh gash torn into his abdomen that excreted his life liquid. The next slash hit his right arm and leg, half the incision made along the flesh of one of the limbs, while the other half was made in the other, his jacket and shirt sleeve, as well as his pant leg, torn into, along with the skin where the metal made contact, split open and oozing a ruby substance. The final one for the blonde, came at his side, his skin split open on the right side of his torso, several of his ribs audibly breaking upon impact of the attack, causing the dignified noble to cry out in agony as he toppled over onto the cold, stone floor, nearly KO'd.

"JUSIS!" The three members of Group A still standing yelled anxiously, as his link with Rean was severed.

Laura came next, her shoulder wound exacerbated by another encounter with steel, as one of the machetes sliced the injury further open, while the other gave her a matching lesion on her unmarred shoulder, blood spraying from them, soaking the sleeves of upperwear, shirt and jacket alike. Woozy and dazed, the sword maiden refused to be brought down, lifting her bastard sword in an effort to protect herself from the next attack, only to have it knocked right out of her hands and go skittering across the ground below. Then, she was inflicted with a gash deep enough to rival the ones she'd given their enemy, more of her blood spilt as her chest was all but cut open. A scream was pulled from her throat, just as it had been from the others, as the slash attack doubled as a blow and knocked her backward, where she met the ground head first.

"LAURA!" The childhood friends shouted together, her link with Rean severing as the others had.

With only the duo who'd come so close to doing him in left, Warrick continued to whizz around, pummeling his enemies with slashes and blows. He was all but unstoppable like this, they were completely outmatched. He'd cut their number down by three, and it was only a matter of time before he whittled down the two left until they were out for the count as well. And then, then they were all doomed. He would finish them off in their weakened states, and that would be that.

Refusing to allow that to happen, Rean and Fie both abandoned the thought of fleeing, and attempted to regroup, knowing they'd have a better chance together in stopping this. The violent mercenary wasn't exactly keen on letting them do as they pleased, knocking them to and fro while they struggled onward toward each other.

Fie received several lacerations to her small form, her clothes and flesh alike being cut into, but that couldn't stop her. Even as she felt like she'd been hit by a brick wall, and her gunblades were stripped from her person with one particularly nasty slash that nearly took her hands off, she grit her teeth and continued onward.

Rean was wrought with wounds in his attempt to reach his best friend, gashes, lacerations and lesions, they littered his body at one point, as he drew ever closer to her. None cut so deep that they were fatal, but as they mounted, the damage and blood loss began to affect him. However, he couldn't afford to focus on that, as he finally reached his partner, and, like a sixth sense, he sensed the killing intent coming her away. The next attack would be fatal.

Desperate to intercept the lethal blow, Rean whirled around to where Fie was at his back, and, sensing out his presence, met Warrick head-on with a swing of his own blade, bringing the psychopathic warrior out of his state of rapid movement, countering steel with steel as their weapons met with a reverberating clang of metal on metal. It wasn't so simple, however, as the force behind the amoral retrograde's machete had the humble swordsman digging his feet in as an attempt to counteract the momentum behind the man's swing. In spite of the Schwarzer heir's valiant efforts and all his exertion, said momentum forced him to skid further and further back, the soles of his shoes wearing against the stone, even as he strained every muscle in his body to stop his enemy.

As it stood, Rean was giving all he had just to barely hold Warrick at bay. The veteran jaeger was too strong for that to work for long though. They all knew this. As such, Fie placed her hands against her childhood friend's back and began to push. Supporting him in his struggle to surmount the bloodied mercenary, she used all the incredible strength hidden in her tiny body to push him forward, adding her power to his, and with their combined might, they won out. Without warning, Warrick's machete, the same one that had fallen into disrepair throughout this drawn out battle, snapped right in half, the brittle armament now ruined.

"Oh you have got to be fucking with me." Warrick sighed with an abundance of exasperation, dropping his now useless weapon and using his now free hand to grab hold of the one who broke it, or one of them anyway, by the collar of his shirt and the front of his blazer. Lifting him off his feet, he proceeded to toss him in the opposite direction, the teenage swordsman flying through the air nearly a dozen feet before he hit the ground and rolled another few feet, moaning in pain as his injuries were all aggravated by the rough treatment.

Fie, even unarmed, wasn't going to take that lying down. Her battered and wounded body be damned, she pivoted forward and attempted to attack her older counterpart. Only to have him sidestep her, snatch a handful of her hair and use it as leverage to throw her forcibly to the ground, all but smashing her face into the stone below.

Not giving her even a moment's respite, he stepped closer, to where he stood over her, his form eclipsing hers, as he reached down and grabbed a fistful of her hair once more and lifted her head up just enough to where he could position his intact machete at her throat. "Alright, now that I have a moment, I think it's about time you tell me what I want to know. You've dodged the question up till now, but not anymore. You're going to tell me who killed my brother, now! Otherwise, I'm gonna cut your goddamn head off and have your boyfriend over there hold it for me." He gestured toward Rean across the way with a nod, as he threatened the young girl's life.

"Let her go!" Rean demanded from his position, in the middle of climbing back to his feet.

"Stay where you are punk! Any one of you moves, she dies, got it!?" The vile retrograde forewarned them.

Needless to say, even if the other three besides Rean could move to get off the unforgiving stone floor, they wouldn't, so as to comply. As such, Rean did as he was told and remained on his knees, in a kneeling position.

"Good, now that it's settled. Tell me, who was it that did my brother in?" He inquired, looking down at her face as he pulled her hair back.

"Fie, please, just tell him." Rean implored his childhood friend, meeting her gaze from across the way, his panic stricken eyes imparting how much he wished for her to give him up at that moment.

"You, shut up." He ordered the diffident swordsman without even looking at him. "So, you got something to say to me, Sylphid?"

Fie didn't even take a moment to contemplate her answer before opening her mouth. "Yeah. Go fuck yourself." She spat contemptuously, yet her face remained expressionless, the disdain she held only visible in her eyes as the yellow-green orbs bored into him.

Warrick sucked his teeth at that, expressing his annoyance. "If that's how you wanna play it..." He trailed off, as he began digging the blade of his machete into the flesh of the fifteen year old's neck, drawing the most minuscule amount of blood from her skin and causing her to hiss in discomfort.

"NO! STOP!" Rean shouted at the top of his lungs, getting the man's attention. "It was me, okay!? I did it! I'm the one who killed your brother!" He confessed, the overwhelming panic and fear he was feeling for his best friend all too visible in his visage.

Warrick cast a very dubious glance toward the raven-haired boy at that. "Yeah, sure kid. I believe you. You must have been, what, like eight or nine when my brother died? Do you honestly expect me to believe a little runt, one with absolutely no training, did him in?" He queried rhetorically. That's when he noticed the alarmed look on Fie's face, the young girl doing her best to reign her reaction in, to not give it away, but her fright for Rean's life slipped through. As such, it gave the thirty-something year old man pause. It made him wonder, 'Did that punk really kill my brother, even though he was just a runt at the time?'

"Bullshit." He muttered as he shook his head of such ridiculous thoughts.

Tugging on Fie's hair once more, he dug the blade of his machete just a little deeper into the flesh of her throat, cutting into her skin a tad more, drawing enough blood to ever so slowly trickle down his weapon of choice.

"NO, PLEASE DON'T!" The humble swordsman adjured frantically.

"This is your last fucking chance! If you don't tell me the truth about who killed my brother right goddamn now, I'm going to KILL HER! And then I'll kill the rest of you too for good measure!" He menaced the teenager, intent on intimidating him into answering his question.

Rean's face contorted with sadness, anger and fear, feeling completely hopeless in that moment. Despite his emotional strife, he came to his answer fairly quickly. "Promise me..."

"I'm sorry, what was that? You're gonna have to speak up so I can hear you, boy!" The arrogant man responded with aggravation.

"Swear to me that only one person has to die. Promise me that once you know who murdered your brother, you'll take their life and leave the others alone." Rean attempted to bargain with the amoral mercenary.

"You've got some balls making demands of me. But fine, whatever. I agree to your terms. So spit it out already, who did it, who's the shithead responsible for my brother's death?"

"No! Please, Rean, don't say it! You can't!" Fie tried to dissuade her childhood friend, but they both knew it was pointless to do so.

"I did it. I killed him. It's the truth. So please, please, I'm begging you, take my life instead of her's. Let her go, let them all go. J-Just kill me." Rean desperately beseeched the man, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes, threatening to fall.

"He's lying! Rean is just trying to cover for me! It was me, I killed your brother, not him! You hear me Warrick, it was me, not him!" Fie desperately tried to convince him, tears welling up in her eyes in a similar manner, her yellow-green orbs racing between the vulnerable form of her best friend, and the man who held her life in his hands.

Warrick went quiet for a few moments at that, his vexation worn openly on his face. He felt like someone was fucking with him, pulling his leg, yanking his chain and all that, that was quite visible in his facial expression.

Before the purple-haired man could process this whole thing and decide how to deal with it, someone decided to complicate matters even further.

"Don't listen to those braggarts." Another voice interjected then, drawing everyone's attention. "I am the one who slayed your wretched brother." Jusis, wounded, bloody and haggard, spoke up from where he lie, rasping out his false confession.

"You're nothing but a liar trying to hog all the credit." Machias disputed his rival's claim. "We both know I was the one who took that bastard out." The bespectacled academic, hurting so bad he couldn't find the strength to get up off the floor, boasted.

"Guys..." Rean couldn't find the words to say in that moment. But he knew what they were doing, and in spite of himself, it touched his heart a little.

Warrick pulled his machete away from Fie then, releasing his grip on her hair without warning, the ex-jaeger having to catch herself so that her face didn't get a pavement facial.

"That's enough. Fine, you punks wanna jerk me around, be my guest. But there are consequences to your actions." Warrick told them all. "You all want to play what equals out to a game of hot potato with the title of my brother's killer, then I'll just slaughter the lot of you." He informed them with a snarl. "Starting with...you."

Dashing forward, Warrick covered some distance before lunging toward his target, machete already swinging down. Rean reacted as fast as he could, getting to his feet and attempting to retrieve his blade to defend himself, only to falter at the last moment, as a surge of pain from his wounds flared through him, causing him to wince. That would be the death of him.

"REAN!" That is, it would have been, if a certain silver-haired maiden hadn't reacted in time, moving to shield him. Not having the time to find her gunblades, she did the only thing she could, and protected him with her own body.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Warrick elicited a shriek of anguish from Fie's lips, as he carved deep into her flesh, tearing into her back with his machete, destroying her blazer and undershirt, along with the skin on her back.

"FIE!" Rean cried her name, eyes wide as they can be, completely dumbfounded as his mind registered the fact that she'd taken the attack meant for him. Mouth agape in his flabbergasted state, he could hardly even process what had happened, only the fact that someone so important to him had been seriously hurt truly sinking in.

Faltering, Fie stumbled forward, Rean reaching out to catch her as she did. She half collapsed into his arms, managing to prop herself up against him just as much as he held her up.

Words momentarily failed the diffident swordsman, shellshocked to the point where he couldn't even find his voice. As his hands found a warm, sticky liquid, and he looked over his childhood friend to see her injury, where he saw blood pouring from the fresh wound, he managed to find it again. "W-What were...what were you thinking? If he'd cut any deeper, he could have...he could have killed you!" He suddenly found himself berating her in that instant.

"He didn't." She replied simply, her lips close to his ear, as her head rested on his shoulder.

"That's not the point! Fie, you shouldn't have-"

"You'd have done the same for me. You have done the same for me." She reminded him. "You do this sort of thing all the time...you've tried to trade your life for mine more than once." She reasoned with him.

But he wasn't having it. "It's not the same! My life isn't worth yours! Your life is...your life is so much more important than mine..." He unbosomed how he felt about this, as the tears finally began to fall, rolling down his cheeks.

"If I wasn't in such poor shape, I'd punch you for saying that." She disclosed bluntly, really getting his attention. "You may not value your life all that much, but I do." She divulged this truth to him, as she wrapped her arms around him, embracing him in that moment. "Your life...is precious. You are precious..." She trailed off, as she fought back her tears. "I don't know what I'd do without you..." She confessed from her heart.

Such words took Rean's breath away. "F-Fie..." His heart pounded in his chest, as if it was trying to burst out. Only this time, it wasn't out of terror or fueled by adrenaline.

...

Laura could no longer reconcile the girl before her with the apathetic butcher she imagined her to once be. This act of self sacrifice, her words of affection, her care for her other classmates as they'd been taken down, all of it shattered her mental image into pieces. Once and for all, she now knew she had been wrong about her all along. Fie was not her opposite, on the contrary...

'She's trying so hard to protect someone precious to her, even going so far as to use her own body as a shield. I'm not sure I'll be capable of conveying to her the great respect this act has instilled in me for her.' Was the sword-maiden's last thought before she lost consciousness.

Machias and Jusis had beaten her to the punch, passing out a handful of moments before she did.

...

"Enough of the sappy shit." Warrick barked at the childhood friends, for one reason or another allowing them to a few moments to speak with one and other before he interrupted them. "I've let you punks say your peace. Time to die."

Rean set Fie carefully down on the ground, in a sitting position, before diverting his attention to the veteran jaeger. The expression of sorrowful helplessness was gone, replaced by a deep scowl, and a look of deep anger, no, hate in his eyes. He stared at the older man, his eyes threatening to burn a hole in his head, staring at him immeasurable animosity.

"What, mad I hurt your little girlfriend? If you hadn't noticed, I've been whipping all your asses up and down this waterway all day. And you decide to get mad now? I can't decide if that's funny, or just pathetic." The purple-eyed retrograde disparaged the raven-haired boy. "If it makes you feel better, I'll kill you first, that way you don't have to watch Sylphid suffer."

Something peculiar occurred then, as Rean took a step forward, for just the briefest of moments, his eyes turned a peculiar shade of red, the crimson of blood. More than that, whether it was a trick of the light or lack thereof down here, his dark locks seemed to flicker, turning white. However, whatever it was, it was short lived, as Fie, having forced herself back onto her feet, pulled Rean back into her, sending them both sprawling onto the ground.

That did the trick, no red or white to be found in his visage, having snapped Rean out of it. "I...thank you, Fie. I-I was about to..." He didn't have to finish that thought aloud, as she knew all too well what he was going to say.

"No! No, no, no, no! What was that!? Don't stop him! I wanted to see what was about to happen!" Warrick bitch, whined and moaned childishly. "You fucking cockteases! Every single time things start to get interesting, you ruin it for me! Let me have a little fun, dammit!"

"Trust us..." Fie started.

"You want no part of what that was." Rean and Fie, meeting the veteran jaeger's gaze, informed him together, tones grim.

"Ooh, that's fucking ominous!" Warrick exclaimed with giddy excitement at such a notion. "You've just made me wanna see it that much more." He divulged. "So, how about I force whatever the hell that was out of you?"

Warrick moved either kill the two, or bring out whatever it was that he'd gotten a glimpse of, machete raised high. Rean and Fie were basically running on empty at this point, they didn't have much fight left. So little in fact, that they couldn't manage to get up fast enough

As it turned out though, there was no need for them to fight any longer. "Un-uh, I don't think so."

...

Warrick was rebuffed, knocked back to the point where he struggled to remain upright and on his feet. Recovering, tightening his grip on his machete, he locked eyes with the interloper that had appeared out of nowhere and dared to intervene.

There she stood in all her glory, one Sara Valestein, Class VII's Instructor, her blade drawn and brandishing her orbal handgun. "Sorry pal, but if you want to harm my students, you'll have to go through me first."

Warrick snorted in amusement at that. "You stupid bitch. If you hadn't noticed, I've already hurt them plenty." He spoke to her condescendingly.

"Yeah, unfortunately, I can see that." The buxom beauty acknowledged with a frown. "But no more. Now that I'm here, you won't lay a hand on them. Not unless you wanna lose it, that is." It wasn't intimidation, bravado or a threat, it was a promise accompanied by a cold glare.

Growling in frustration, Warrick tightened his grip on his machete even further, his knuckles beginning to discolor. 'On my best day fighting her would be ill-advised, if I tried to take her on right now...I'd be committing suicide.' He thought to himself, furthering his frustrated demeanor. "Ya know...I've always hated you. You and all the other Northern Jaegers. Couldn't dislodge the sticks up your asses no matter how hard ya try." He blurted out in aggravation.

The pink-haired twenty something noticeably stiffened at that. Aside from that, she kept her cool. "Sorry, but you'll have to take your grievances regarding them somewhere else. If you hadn't heard, them and I parted ways awhile ago." She apprised him of this.

"Yeah, whatever broad. Once a jaeger, always a jaeger." The amoral mercenary sneered at her.

"Look, if you wanna do this, then let's go. I'm dying to pay you back for what you did to my students." She challenged him outright, clearly eager for a fight,

"Fine, guess I'll admit defeat, this time." Warrick conceded in that moment. "Next time though...things'll be different. It won't go your way." With that, the retrograde retrieved his jacket from where it'd been discarded and proceeded to flee the scene.

Sara stood her ground, maintaining her combat stance for several moments, until she was sure he was gone. Once he was out of the picture, she put away her weapons and turned to face her wounded charges.

"It's gonna be okay. I've got you." Sara assured Rean and Fie, as she regarded them with a warm, bright smile.

* * *

Warrick was limping as he escaped the underground waterway. As the adrenaline of battle faded, the massive damage he'd sustained began to catch up with him. All the wounds, all the injuries he'd accumulated, not to mention the blood loss...it'd have killed any normal human twice over by now.

"Where the hell is that bastard!? Did he catch that little shithead, or did he just abandon me here and return to C?" Warrick grumbled discontentedly, as he found his way into a back alley, where he wouldn't draw attention with his beaten and bloodied body.

Leaning against a wall, he tried to use it to support him, so he could keep going, keep moving. But it was too much. He was simply too hurt. He could continue under his own power no longer. Stumbling, he proceeded to collapse face first in the alley he'd chosen to conceal himself in. There, with his face against the rough ground, he faded out of consciousness.

* * *

END NOTE: There we go! As you can tell, I'm back from my binge! The Resident Evil 2 Remake was fantastic! KH 3, however, not so much...man did they fuck up the finale with that game. Sheesh, as someone who has literally played every other game in the series, the way they decided to wrap everything up, at least regarding the Xehanort Saga, was disappointing as all fucking get out. I won't spoil anything, but...yeah, kind of felt like it was only half the game it was supposed to be. I don't know if the fact that it was great up until the last twenty five percent or so makes this fact better or worse...anyway, to be brief, I was rather disappointed and I'll just leave it at that. I'm just ranting, I know, so as I just said, I'll stop. Anyway, nice to be back. Not that this chapter means much in regards to being back, as you guys know how fickle my updates can be, that said, here's hoping the next one's not too far behind. After all, we're starting to come up on some good stuff I can't wait to write!

Also, before I go. I am currently in the middle of getting everything packed up to move, so I don't have much time to edit this, so if you notice any glaring errors, you have my apologies and I hope you can forgive any transgressions. Even still, I'm confident you'll all enjoy it still, so, there's that. Anyway, see ya next chapter!


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